Two homeless people are sitting in the day center in Mitte.
© dpa
The daytime meeting center for the homeless moves into an airdome in Friedrichshain in the spring.
This was announced by Social Senator Katja Kipping (Left Party) on site on Wednesday. Currently, homeless people are offered a refuge from the cold during the day inside the restaurant "Hofbräu Wirtshaus".
"During the pandemic, many facilities had to reduce their day services for homeless people," Kipping said, referring to the importance of Berlin's largest day shelter. Up to 300 homeless people have the opportunity to receive a hot meal during the week and on holidays. In addition, there is medical care, multilingual social counseling, a separate area for women and a clothes closet - the latter has hardly been filled so far.
According to the social service provider Gebewo, which operates the "Hofbräu Wirtshaus," the airdome in Friedrichshain will also have an outdoor area and beds for emergency overnight stays. The day center is financed exclusively by EU funds. Overall, the homeless aid in Berlin has significantly more money available this year and next year than in previous years - in 2022 more than twice as much as in 2021.