Help in the heat: A model project for the homeless starts in Berlin
Because of the high temperatures, the “Heat Aid” model project is starting in Berlin. People without a home of their own can get help at various locations in Berlin. The structures of the annual cold aid would now be used for heat protection, according to a spokesman for the social association IB Berlin-Brandenburg.
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Berlin.People without their own apartment can get help in various places in Berlin when it is very hot – this not only applies to the next two days, when temperatures of up to 39 degrees are expected in the region.
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For the homeless, a model project called “Heat Aid” by the IB Berlin-Brandenburg social association started on Monday at Kurmärkische Strasse 1-3 in Berlin-Schöneberg. Those affected can stay there every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., shower and rest.
Offers of help: food, drinks, clothing
They will also receive food and drinks, as well as thermos flasks, clothing, sleeping bags and sun protection products if needed, the IB said. In addition, there are advisory services for people who live on the street, either completely or part of the time.
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What is new about the project is that structures for the annual cold relief are now also being used for heat relief, said a spokesman for the social administration. The Senate is supporting the project, which will initially run until the end of September, with almost 106,000 euros.
According to the social administration, 23 homeless pilots are also on the road in the city for the heat aid of the social provider Karuna. They speak to people without a roof over their heads, distribute water, sunscreen, glasses or hygiene items if necessary and check their general state of health in order to call for medical help if necessary. Karuna also operates several “cooling buses” where people can stay and recover from heat stress.
The “Karuna Heat Aid”
According to the social administration, the “Karuna Heat Aid” for homeless people has been working since 2020. The Senate supports the initiative with 400,000 euros annually and finances the positions of the pilots through the “solidarity basic income” project.
According to the information, the Senate is promoting a somewhat smaller project in the Tabor community in Kreuzberg (Taborstrasse 17), which has been active in cold relief for a long time. The parish offers homeless people a cool retreat and drinks twice a week – always on Wednesdays and Sundays.
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“Life on the street is dangerous, extreme heat and extreme cold make it life-threatening,” said Senator for Social Affairs Katja Kipping (left) when asked by the dpa. Her spokesman Stefan Strauss also pointed out that the homeless are not only affected by the cold, but also by the heat.
Online list of public drinking fountains
“Life on the streets offers little opportunity to cool off and carries the constant risk of dehydration,” he explained. “In summer there are fewer retreats and hardly any access to cooled rooms. The Senate Social Administration has therefore been funding heat aid projects for people living on the streets since 2020.”
Berliner Wasserbetriebe publishes a list on the Internet all public drinking fountains. In a number of Berlin cafés, bars and shops with the refill sticker on the window you can free tap water fill in containers you have brought with you.
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