The City of Helsinki provides one warm meal a day to its homeless population. Over 600 meals will be provided at nine distribution points in different parts of the city.
The food distribution will continue at least until the end of May 2022.
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.
“Helsinki will assist the city’s homeless by giving them the opportunity to receive a warm meal every day,” says Mikko Tamminen, the City of Helsinki’s director of psychiatric and substance abuse services.
Nine distribution points will be established across the city, and over 600 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,” says project manager Anne Koskinen from the Helsinki Service Centre.
Distribution points
- Emergency accommodation, Inarintie 8, open Monday-Sunday from 5 pm to 9 am
Meal distribution to lodgers. - Al Amal day centre, Kastelholmantie 2, open Monday-Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm, Friday from 10 am to 3 pm
Meal distribution on weekdays from 12pm to 4 pm - Hirundo day centre, Inarintie 8, open Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4 pm
Meal distribution on weekdays from 8:30 am to 4 pm - Vepa peer suppport centre, Ratamestarinkatu 6, open Monday from 10 am to 3 pm, Tuesday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm
- Kalkkers night centre, Ratamestarinkatu 6, open Monday-Sunday from 10 pm to 6 am
Meal distribution to lodgers. - Kontulan Symppis, Keinulaudankuja 4, open Monday-Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 3 pm, Thursday 9 am to 4 pm
Meal distribution weekdays from 9:15 am to 3 pm - Itiksen Symppis, Turunlinnantie 14 a, open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm
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
Meal distribution from 11 am to 3 pm - Nuoli peer support centre, Mäkelänkatu 50, open Monday-Friday from 9 am to 3 pm
Article updated on the 24th of August 2020: The meal service will continue until the end of 2020.
Article updated on the 11th of February 2021: The food distribution will continue until the end of May 2021.
Article updated on the 16th of February 2021: Distribution points' addresses and opening times.
Article updated on the 13th of April 2022: The meal service will continue until the end of May 2022.