We come to people in trouble to help them.

Why we do this

Outreach is one of the directions of our work, which consists in providing information, consulting and providing various assistance to the homeless in the places where they live. These are locations remote from social and medical care centers in different parts of the city, abandoned buildings, garages, tents, vestibules, attics, basements, and just the streets of St. Petersburg. We consider it important to help people who cannot get to the shelter and have to spend the night in the open air or do not know where and how to get help.

How it works

To help a homeless person, doctors and volunteers of Charity hospital go on foot or by transport to people in trouble to sort out the problem, provide assistance on the spot and help the homeless get out of the street. An interdisciplinary team of specialists is often formed: employees of the Social Patrol of the charity foundation “Diakonia”, social police officers of the Centers for the Organization of Social Services for Districts, local psychiatrists of dispensaries, volunteers of the Orthodox youth club “Kinonia” and local residents who are not indifferent to the fate of a homeless person join the trip.

In the fall of 2022, we launched the “I see a homeless person” telegram bot to collect information from residents of St. Petersburg and the nearest suburbs about homeless people on the streets. Thanks to citizens’ applications , we receive structural information with a photo and geolocation of the place and go on outreach to a homeless person to provide assistance. The bot also gives simple instructions: whether to call an ambulance or not, how to start a conversation if you are ready to talk to a homeless person. It also provides phone numbers that you can call to involve state social services in the interaction.