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Help for the homeless: cold buses secure lives in frosty times!
Find out how Rhineland-Palatinate helps homeless people in winter and what offers are available during the cold spell.
Help for the homeless: cold buses secure lives in frosty times!
Winter has us firmly in its grip, and while we make ourselves comfortable in our warm rooms, the reality for homeless people is often very different. Given the cold temperatures and the challenges that come with winter thaws, it is urgent to keep an eye on the needs and offers of help for our fellow human beings. As SWR reports, cold, wet and frost in particular make the fight for survival on the streets particularly bitter.
The German Weather Service warns that temperatures will drop significantly in the coming days. This poses an acute threat to the lives of homeless people who have no access to warm accommodation. Sabine Bösing from the Federal Working Group for Homeless Assistance makes it clear: “Without shelters, these people are at the mercy of the extreme conditions.” Your words underline the urgency of using and passing on regional offers of help.
Offers of help in focus
In Rhineland-Palatinate there is a blessing in disguise: refrigeration buses are in use here, which visit homeless people directly and provide them with warm blankets and hot drinks. These tours are an important measure to reach people in need and protect them from the cold. Emergency numbers for the refrigerated buses include:
- Mainz und Kreis Mainz-Bingen: 0163-6867137
- Koblenz: 0261-1294567
- Trier: 0651-88130 (Caritasverband)
The offers come from various social organizations such as Caritas, Diakonie and the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund. These organizations not only provide hot meals, but also provide advice on housing and social assistance. Cold igloos are also being set up in Neustadt an der Weinstraße and Kaiserslautern, which offer an insulated place to sleep, even for dogs.
The urgent need for help
Despite these valuable initiatives, the willingness to help in many communities falls far short of the need. The BAGW criticizes the inadequate care for homeless people, which is urgently needed, especially in the current cold period. What is particularly worrying is that many homeless people have underlying health conditions, which greatly increases their risk of hypothermia. According to current figures, over a million people in Germany were already living without a home in 2024, with an increase in the number of homeless people of 11 percent compared to the previous year.
This dramatic situation could become even worse, especially as there is a risk of cuts in the social security system and a decline in social housing. In this context, it is crucial that we all have a good hand and actively participate in supporting homeless people. Addressing people respectfully, passing on information about offers of help and contacting aid organizations can have a big impact, as zeit.de and the obdachlosenwegweiser suggest.
How can you help? Reach out to homeless people, be respectful and ask how you can support them. Don't leave charity behind, but rather show an open ear and practical help - especially in these difficult times. Because if we help each other, the cold season will become a little more bearable for many people.