- We provide overnight accommodation for 50 men. Every night in Budapest’s city centre 50 people can sleep overnight at our shelter. Anyone can sleep in our sleeping quarters for free as long as their behaviour doesn’t disturb others and they cooperate in preventing the spread of infections. The overnight shelter is open from 6pm until 8am.
- We provide a permanent home for 24 homeless elderly men. They may live here indefinitely and are provided with full board. Two nurses are available to attend to any medical issues. Similar to old people’s homes, cultural programs and entertainment are also provided.
- We provide private accommodation for 2 people in a crisis situation. We are able to provide accommodation for those people who, due to their neglect of personal hygiene, may not otherwise be accepted into the overnight shelter with others.
- We publish the street magazine “Fedél Nélkül” (“Without a Roof”). Our colleagues edit the magazine, we organise the printing, and the distribution to the homeless sellers.
- During winter we provide a “recovery room” for homeless people who are sick or weak. If people living on the streets catch cold or have a fever they will need a sick room which most shelters cannot provide. In this case, the person is sent to a “recovery room” where medical staff oversee the patients.
- To provide information; to deal with calls for assistance and for the coordination of homeless services we maintain a non-stop Dispatcher Service. The Dispatcher Service is available 24 hours a day on + 36 1 338 4186. Homeless people are able to call the number and get information on where there are free beds for the night. Members of the public can call if they see a homeless person in need of urgent assistance. Our social workers can also call to find out where they can send homeless people if they are unable to assist them with a certain problem.
- We have a Crisis Car service. Directed by the Dispatcher Service, this mobile street service finds those homeless people who are in urgent need of assistance. Social workers assess each case individually on the spot and aim to establish long lasting relationships with the homeless.
- We act on behalf of those that live on the street. In the VII, VIII and IX districts we have social workers who help the homeless with the organisation of their official affairs.
- In our daytime care centres anyone can ask directly for assistance in matters which are crucial for the homeless to represent their own interests effectively. We help them in applying for important papers such as an ID card, medical services card, tax card and school records. We also help the unemployed to apply for benefits and organise the receipt of post.
- With money from tenders we help the homeless purchase medicines and medical supplies. In our client services office, depending on the amount of contributions from tenders, the homeless can ask for financial assistance to cover the costs of medical costs. This support aims to cover the costs which are not covered by the standard health care system.
- In conjunction with partner organisations we maintain night shelters, daytime “warming rooms” and provide professional street social worker workshops.
- We provide legal advice for those homeless people whose rights have been violated due to their homelessness. Our lawyer is available for consultation after pre-arranging.
- Those in danger of losing their homes can call our lawyer daily between 12 and 2pm on + 36 20 269 9838. The lawyer is able to provide immediate legal advice and if the complexity of a particular case makes it helpful, a face to face meeting can also be arranged.
- We conduct sociological research. Part of this research involves a questionnaire for the homeless which we conduct on February 3rd of each year. The survey aims to see how the use of institutions has changed amongst the homeless, what their current financial situation is like, the state of their health and whether they have the appropriate contacts to deal with everyday life on the streets.
- With the assistance of the Dispatcher Service and our fundraiser we accept and distribute donations to other institutions helping the homeless and directly to people living on the streets.
- We help people who are trying to track down a homeless friend or relative. With the help of the Dispatcher Service friends and relatives can request the homeless person they are seeking to be put onto the monthly “looking for” list. If the sought for person sees the list, they can call the centre and after establishing their identity, they are able to get the details of the friend or relative who is looking for them. They can then make the decision to make contact with their friend or relative.
- We provide work experience for college and university students. The Homeless Shelter works closely with those colleges and universities that teach social work and the shelter is available as the location for students’ field practice. Students take part in the every day running of the shelter for short or long periods of time.
- In the mornings at the Kürt street and Práter street daytime centres we distribute food.
- In the hostel and daytime shelter bathing and washing factilties are provided.
- In the Kürt street client service office on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9am and 2pm we help homeless people obtain or replace identity cards and other important documents.
- The Kürt street client service office provides homeless people a postal address where they can receive post every workday.
- We provide assistance in organising and obtaining benefits and pensions as well as finding accommodation.
- In the Vajdahunyad street daytime shelter we provide a luggage storage service for homeless people. This ensures people can leave personal belongings which they are unable to carry with them at all times in a safe place. The luggage storage service is free.
- At the Práter street daytime shelter we help the homeless look for work. We also provide opportunity to make phone calls.
- We provide in-kind support as an allowance for the first month of employment.
- Following team's decisions we support housing in the forms of low-wage rented flats and housing benefits.
- We organise cultural and spare-time programs, activities for those living in the hostel.
- We, as the publisher of the homeless magazine "Fedél Nélkül / Roofless" run continuously an art competition, and we also organize exhibitions, readings, writer-reader meetings, and intermediate between the publishers of art and homeless artists in order to be able to display their works to a wider audience.
- We organise presentations at schools about homelessness.
- We organize Urban walks ("Enter Into My Living Room") to get awareness for the problems of homelessness.
- We teach accredited social work courses and have put together a manual which assists our social workers on essential legislation. This manual is updated yearly.
- We maintain international relations. We are a member of the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless. FEANTSA is an umbrella organization of not-for-profits which participate in or contribute to the fight against homelessness in Europe. FEANTSA is based in Brussels and funded by the EU.
