Ice cold nights: This is how we help homeless people in need!

Ice cold nights: This is how we help homeless people in need!

When temperatures drop and the nights become freezing cold, this puts many at increased risk - especially homeless people. Social Affairs Minister Manne Lucha has called on the population to actively help when they see homeless people in need. He calls this “solidarity in action against frostbite” and emphasizes that any reference to people in distress can potentially save lives. With the right support, hope can still be offered during this chilly season. Baden-Württemberg reports on the large number of warming rooms, emergency shelters and mobile assistance that are available throughout the country.

It is important that people who discover homeless people act immediately: information should be given to the local police station, the city or municipal administration, or they should pick up the phone directly and dial 112. In this way, help can be provided promptly.

Support for the homeless in winter

In Baden-Württemberg, municipalities and social institutions ensure the provision of necessary emergency accommodation and emergency housing assistance. This is also how the municipal emergency accommodation center on Florianstrasse works in Ravensburg, which offers short-term overnight accommodation and protection from the cold. There is also a specialist advice center at Eisenbahnstrasse 53, which is open from Monday to Friday.

• Öffnungszeiten der Fachberatungsstelle: Mo–Fr, 8–12 Uhr
• Kontakt: 0751 / 35962-0

In acute emergencies, at night or on weekends, the Ravensburg police station is available and can be reached on 0751 / 803-333.

Another important element is the digital brochure, which was created by the Baden-Württemberg Municipal Association for Youth and Social Affairs and offers comprehensive information about legal situations, responsibilities and practical instructions. This brochure was created in collaboration with local municipal associations and the League of Independent Welfare and is a valuable source of information for those seeking help and helpers. Weekly Newspaper highlights the importance of these informative offers.

Caution is advised

Winter conditions make the situation of homeless people even more precarious. In the winter of 2024/2025, seven homeless people died in Germany due to the cold, a tragic example that underlines the urgency of the issue. Cold relief aid and initiatives have also been launched this year in other federal states, such as North Rhine-Westphalia, to provide support to people in need. WDR reports on the difficulties in recording the number of homeless people and focuses on the impressive number of over a million homeless people in Germany, as in 2024. More than 80 percent of them did not have German citizenship at that time.

On cold nights like these, we should all have a good hand and act in solidarity. It is up to us to provide guidance and help when we need it most. Every small step can make a big difference.