Shelters
They constitute the basic activities of Society. There were 34 shelters and 2 institutions being partly shelter and partly overnight shelter. There were 2121 places; 2099 men were staying there as of 31.12.03. 923 of them were in the shelter the whole year, some of them for many years. 2851 people were admitted to shelters; 85 people died.
Shelters provide bed, 3 meals, clothing, and hygiene agents. There were doctor's offices in 12 shelters. All other shelters sent their residents to public community health centers. 638 people were hospitalized. 21 shelters offered chaplain's help. Social work is done in shelters: 406 people were on rehab, 148 people got a job, and 361 people received pension, old age pension or benefit. 78 got flats, 73 came back to families, 93 went to houses of Social Help.

Before shelter
There were 4 overnight shelters, with 340 places. Apart from bed, people can take a bath; get clothing, meal, contact with social worker. Overnight shelter should be left in the morning (not the sick ones). There is a possibility of moving to shelter when there are vacancies. Circle in Łódź provided bus delivering food, clothing and bandages to the homeless in autumn; circle in Wrocław sent a car arround the city taking up the homeless to shelter every evening.

After shelter
2 hostels and 3 protected flats were ready for men, shelter residents who wanted to come back to independent life and who obtained any source of income. 30 men live there - till they are totally independent. Those institutions operate in 3 cities so far- we want to develop them.

Life in shelter
Residents worked in shelters. They helped to raise funds for the maintenanceand operation of the shelters and for local communities. They tidy the shelters and the surrounding. They worked in kitchens, boiler houses, laundries, repair buildings. In 12 shelters, there are gardens run by the residents; in 3 of them residents cultivated field, in 4 they bred pigs. Residents worked in shops in exchange for food, in the woods in exchange for wood. Residents very often performed cleaning job - in cemeteries, streets, parks, bus stops, market places. They helped parishes, social and medical institutions, schools, neighbors with their work.
Every shelter had access to TV, radio, press; many shelters have libraries and VCRs. In Wrocław, the Club of Interesting Film has been working for 7 years. Similar clubs were founded in Gorzów and Gdańsk. Some residents from shelters were given free tickets to cinemas, theaters and sport events. Sport is very popular - football and table tennis. There were organized tournaments: hall football in Gorzów and table tennis in Łódź. There are 3 clubs of amateurs of sport.

Centers for women and children

Houses for women and mother with children
There are 7 houses. 72 single women and 66 mothers with 114 children stayed there as of 31.12.2003 In 2003 there were accepted: 147 women, 79 mothers with 1 child, 35 mothers with 2 children, 12 mothers with 3 children, 1 mother with 4 children and 1 mother with 5 children. 17 children were born. 35 women got flats, 26 got jobs, 29 got alimonies. 15 were on rehab.

Overnight shelter for women
In Wrocław, there is an overnight shelter for 16 women with free bath, adapted for handicapped people. Women get a warm meal in the evening in winter.

Family home
About 45 people are in the home in Zabrze. 7 families, 24 mothers with children and 16 women were accepted in 2003. 8 children were born. 9 single people, 7 mother with children and 5 families went to independent flat or to family. Each family and each person is under individual psychological program. There is a chapel in which residents take part in masses and prayers. There are compensatory classes for children run by volunteers.

Orphanage
There is an orphanage for 40 children in Stalowa Wola. Psychologist is employed in this institution. Children are also under the parish help. There are 2 nurses. Volunteers help in doing homework. There are art, theatrical, musical classes. There is a small gym. Children participate in Holy Mass and prayers. They help in running homes; they help in cleaning and cooking meals. There is a very nice atmosphere at home.
Protected flat. During renovation of the orphanage, a few rooms were prepared for children coming out of age. 5 adult charges live there.

Homes for the elderly and the sick

There were 9 homes: 5 for women, 1 for men and 3 for women and men. Two of them have the status of houses of social help. 188 women and 88 men were there as of 31.12.2003. The oldest resident is 98 years old. 117 people were accepted in 2003.
Priest and doctor help is provided. Rehabilitation is provided in 3 homes. The biggest home in Dynów accepts 11 homeless people for winter.

Kitchens

14 kitchens gave out 2600 dinners daily, including 2200 free of charge. 5 kitchens provided full dinners, rest of them 1 meal dinners. 720 000 meals were served in the whole year. The biggest kitchen in Bielsko serves 750 meals daily. Many shelters served dinners to poor people from the city - 126 000 meals were served in 2003.

Various activities

Baths
7 000 people used bath in Bielsko-Biała. All the shelters made their baths available free of charge; 7800 people used them.

Pharmacy
Free pharmacy in Żary is open three times a week; it served 5000 people. Some clients got also doctor's help. Drugs come from a gifts from Germany and Holland. 6500 people got some kind of medicines.

Outlets giving food and clothing
11 charity outlets served 23000 people in 2003. Mostly clothing was given away, but also food. Shelters gave clothing to 22000 thousand of people and food to 4000 thousand of people.

Clubs
There were 2 St. Albert's clubs (in Gliwice and Zabrze), supporting people who came out from homelessness and helping people endangered by homelessness. 145 people took part in it. There were 4 common rooms for children (in Kłodzko, Nowa Sól, Wisłok, Żary) and 1 for adults in Łańcut. 155 people came there.

Christmas meetings
Circles organized 16 Christmas Eve dinners and 9 Easter breakfasts for the lonely. 3000 people took part in them. People taking part in them very often received gifts.

Structure and financing

Circles, employees and volunteers
There were 2700 voluntary members in 56 circles of Society at the end of 2003. Each circle had 17 to 156 members. Most of the circles run 1 institution; 13 run 2 institutions; 2 circles run 3 institutions and 2 circles 4 institutions. Society employs over 400 people. 1300 volunteers took part in different activities.

Financing
Expenses were 20.267 thousand PLN, including 57% of work costs, 21% of food costs, 21% of other costs; overheads - 1%. Expenditures on investments: 910 thousand PLN.
Income: 20.545 thousand, including 41% from local governments, 7% from government administration; 19%residents' charges, donations, subsidies from people and enterprises and others - 22%, material gifts (in kind) 11%.
Institutions mainly base on social generosity. Second hand clothing and food come mainly from donations. Circles also receive free hygiene agents, domestic equipments. They organize fund raising, usually at cemeteries on All Saints' Day and in parishes. They also organize charity concerts and galas.


[Top]  [Main]