Another Big Volunteer Week on the way!
We are getting ready for yet another wonderful Big Volunteer Week! This year, it will centre around the six groups of need in the city on which Serve the City focuses, namely: people who are homeless, people who are asylum seekers, people who are elderly, people with disabilities, children in need, victims of abuse. This week we will talk about the people who are homeless.
Our friends who live on the street are in a very vulnerable situation for a variety of reasons – their contract was terminated, their family has rejected them, they are without papers, or maybe they have made poor choices or are battling addictions. They appreciate the way our volunteers show them love and respect. They know we know they need encouragement and friendship as well as meals, clothes, and support to take steps towards a healthier life.
The situation of homeless people in Brussels, as in many other big cities is dire. According to Brussels Institute of Statistics and Analysis, 1944 homeless people were recorded in the Brussels Region. There are measures taken by the state through shelters build in order to offer support, a hot meal, a place to sleep and guidance for homeless people. Especially during night time and cold winters going to a shelter is the only solution homeless person can turn to.
In order to help ameliorate their situation and lend a helping hand, Serve the City implemented a project, namely Food4Friends. Through this project, every Monday and Thursday evening, Serve the City volunteers serve food, hot beverages and offer their support to our friends in need at Brussels North Station. Being listened to, offered a meal or an item of clothing may seem a small thing, but it makes a big difference into their lives. For some of them, our volunteers are the first encounter with Belgium so talking to someone about their problems and getting some support and guidance can be a first step towards their overcoming a depression and thinking about ways to improve their life.
The weekly cost of this project is 110 Euros per week, to feed about 200 people. We serve sandwiches, waffles and hot coffee or tea to around 100 people on Monday for 55 Euros, and on Thursday soup and coffee for about 100 people for the same amount of 55 Euros.
To serve the city, we need your help. Serve the City Brussels depends on the tireless dedication of thousands of volunteers who invest their time in caring for people in need. We also depend on the voluntary financial donations of people like you. Please consider to support Food4Friends at this link.
