In Poland, Chorzów, a city of 100,000 inhabitants in Upper Silesia, has long relied on mining and steel production for its livelihood. Since the 2000s, the closure of mines and steelworks has led to unemployment, poverty and social exclusion. 
The Daughters of Charity arrived in Chorzów in 1926. They run a social centre for 100 elderly people aged between 60 and 100, many of whom are disabled and live alone, and a socio-therapeutic day centre for 40 children from dysfunctional families. They also support the deaf-mute community and the homeless.

Food aid at the doorstep

Poor people have long turned to the sisters for help, especially for food.

"Until now, we have been distributing hot meals from Monday to Friday at the door in disposable containers. These people often have nowhere to go. They sit on snow-covered benches in winter or on the pavements and eat, which accentuates their feeling of exclusion. When we talk to them, we discover that it is very important for them to have a place to eat." Sr Aleksandra

An inventive project! Setting up a multi-season tent to offer more than just a meal: a dignified, heated and welcoming space

"We don't have any extra rooms at the sociel center, but we do have a garden where a heated multi-season tent can be set up. It would be a gift for these people, allowing them to eat a hot meal in a warm, sheltered place, at a table." Sr Aleksandra

With the help of volunteers, the sisters plan to:

- prepare the ground in the shelter's garden and lay flooring

- erect a multi-season catering tent, open on the sides in summer, but closed, lit and, above all, heated in winter thanks to heated parasols.

The tent, measuring approximately 4 x 8 metres, will be able to accommodate 40 people at a time.

Sr Aleksandra tells us about the beneficiaries of the project:

"They are simple but good people. Some have low incomes or depend on social benefits. They don't have enough money to pay their bills or meet their basic needs, so they come to us for food. Often they have nowhere to live, and if they do, it is usually unheated. Around 70 people currently benefit from our help."

"Our charism is to serve the poor with love and respect for their dignity. This project will be an expression of that."

If the project is funded beyond its target, the surplus donations received will be allocated to a similar project.