Help in Times of Need

Providing Immediate and Unbureaucratic Help

When young people find themselves in distress and their situation seems desperate and hopeless, they need help and support—with as little red tape as possible.

Since its founding in 2001, the “upstairs” project has offered a wide range of support to young people in need. It is a donation-funded drop-in center located in the Reisinger Anlagen in Wiesbaden that provides assistance in acute emergency situations. Services include initial care, counseling, clothing, food, transportation tickets, and—depending on availability—shelter.

Building Relationships

The upstairs team builds relationships with those seeking help and supports them as they integrate into existing support systems, such as government agencies or the healthcare system. Young people in particular—those who have suddenly become homeless or don’t know what to do next—need this support. Many of these young people hope their situation will improve quickly—but often it doesn’t. In Germany, there are about 32,000 youth living on the streets, most of whom hope to find a home again within a year. If they don’t succeed, it becomes all the more difficult to break free from the cycle of homelessness, unemployment, and violence. Timely assistance can change a person’s entire life in such moments.