Rosita says purpose matters more than money for homeless people

People experiencing homelessness need a sense of purpose and contact with others more than money to rebuild their lives, Rosita Mikėnienė, who helps homeless people, told LRT.lt.

“Sometimes a person’s legs are injured, blood is seeping through their shoes and they are beginning to rot, but they say that everything is fine,” Mikėnienė said.

Mikėnienė heads the Day Centre for People Experiencing Homelessness and Loneliness, run by Caritas of the Archdiocese of Kaunas. The centre welcomes anyone who needs help.

Under an agreement with the municipality, the centre is expected to receive up to 30 people a day. However, Mikėnienė said staff accept as many people as arrive. One winter day, they counted 64 visitors, a record for the centre.

Most visitors have lost their homes and have nowhere to spend the day. Others have been released from prison or have returned from abroad after failing to find happiness there. Some come after experiencing a temporary crisis, falling out with a partner or receiving a domestic violence order and having nowhere else to go.

“When people come here, they first find peace. It is not that they have to come to our centre every day, like going to work, but some visitors really do come every day. When asked about it, they say that the centre is like home to them,” Mikėnienė said.

Many visitors lack contact with other people and do not want to spend their days alone at home or sitting outside a shop. They often form friendships at the centre, and some who have social housing still choose to spend their days there.

The centre provides meals, hot tea and coffee, food parcels and social services. Staff help visitors arrange identity documents and deal with other matters.

“Our rule is that the first cup of coffee is free. Afterwards, for educational purposes, we ask people to pay 10 cents per cup. Tea is always free,” Mikėnienė said. The centre receives support from a bakery and works with the food bank, obtaining products nearing their expiry date. Visitors may receive a bun or other food with their coffee.

The centre has two main rules: visitors must not arrive after drinking alcohol or cause conflicts. “And, well, they must also follow the Ten Commandments,” Mikėnienė said.

Identity documents can unlock further help

Alongside daily food assistance, the centre provides social work. Some of the most difficult cases involve people experiencing homelessness who do not have identity documents.

Without an identity document, people cannot be admitted to shelters or access other services. The centre normally receives several people without identity documents every month.

“A person comes to us for help arranging identity documents, but they have no money, nowhere to live, are not registered with the Employment Service and cannot see a doctor. They do not even know where to start,” Mikėnienė said.

Staff first help such people obtain identity documents so they can access further assistance.