About us

A safe place to stay overnight, something to eat or fresh clothes: these are the simple things that people without a home look for in everyday life. There is little room for a visit to the doctor or health care. In order to change this, the Diakonie has launched a health project with the support of the research-based pharmaceutical company Janssen and the Johnson & Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust – gesund.zeit.raum.

The project consists of four pillars:

1. Improvement of the medical first aid with medical consultation hours in the medical mobile of the association "Medizinische Hilfe für Wohnungslose" (Medical Help for Homeless People);

2. Prevention offers;

3. Offers to strengthen mental health; and

4. Preventive assistance in social counselling

Offers for people without a home

People without a home are not aware of many health risks, but they are particularly exposed to them because of their living conditions. In the Horizont, Café pur and Shelter day-care centers, for example, a healthy breakfast with fruit and daily smoothies are now served once a week.

In addition, the Diakonie offers regular nutritional counselling and a group programme on mental health in the three day-care centers. Emergency aid, for example when a homeless person urgently needs glasses, can also be financed by the project. Since a healthy life also includes a healthy soul, gesund.zeit.raum also promotes creative and recreational activities in the day-care centers, for example working with wood or clay or visiting museums and exhibitions.

The unifying fourth pillar of the health project is preventive social counselling. High debts, persistent difficulties with public offices or long periods of unemployment can also make people ill, for example, triggering depression. The social counselling service of the Diakonie seeks solutions together with those affected. It also motivates people to do something for their health, to consult a doctor if they have health problems or refers them to appropriate specialist services.