Helsinki City begins warm meal service for homeless people

The City of Helsinki on Friday has begun a programme making one warm meal a day available to its homeless population, said a press release of the City of Helsinki.

The coronavirus pandemic has heightened public concern about the welfare of Helsinki’s rough-sleeping population that doesn’t have a home to take shelter in.

“Starting this Friday, Helsinki will assist the city’s homeless by giving them the opportunity to receive a warm meal every day,” said Mikko Tamminen, the City of Helsinki’s director of psychiatric and substance abuse services.

Nine distribution points will be established across the city, and close to 400 meals will be made available on a daily basis to start out.

In addition, social service outreach professionals will hit the streets with packages of food that they can give out to homeless people they encounter.

The meals will be prepared by the city’s Helsinki Service Centre enterprise, which provides food services for Helsinki schools, day care centres and hospitals. Distribution will be carried out in cooperation with municipal day centres, the Helsinki Deaconess Institute and the charities No Fixed Abode and Sininauhasäätiö.

“Being the world’s most functional city also means that we take care of our most vulnerable. We all know the importance of a hot meal each day. In a short span of time, the City of Helsinki and its partners have come together to arrange the distribution of warm meals, a service we hope will bring relief to those without a home at this time,” said project manager Anne Koskinen from the Helsinki Service Centre.

The distribution points are: Emergency accommodation, Alppikatu 2, open Monday-Sunday from 6 pm to 8 am and meal distribution to lodgers from 6-8 pm, Al Amal day centre, Kastelholmantie 2, open Monday-Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and meal distribution on weekdays from 12-4 pm, Hirundo day centre, Alppikatu 2, open Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm and Meal distribution on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4 pm, Vepa peer suppport centre, Hämeentie 64, open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 3 pm and meal distribution weekdays from 11 am to 2 pm, Kalkkers night centre, Alppikatu 2, open Monday-Friday from 9:30 pm to 6:30 am and meal distribution to lodgers starting at 9:30 pm, Kontulan Symppis, Keinulaudankuja 4, open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm and meal distribution weekdays from 9:15 am to 3 pm, Itiksen Symppis, Turunlinnantie 14 a, open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm and meal distribution weekdays from 9:15 am to 3 pm, Day centre Illusia, Mäkelänkatu 50 B, open Monday-Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm and meal distribution from 11 am to 3 pm, Nuoli peer support centre, Mäkelänkatu 50, open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm and meal distribution weekdays from 11 am to 3 pm.