Somerset West Night Shelter

The Somerset West Night Shelter was established in 1988; at 71 Church Street, Somerset West on land leased from the City of Cape Town . A committee, who offer their services voluntarily, raises funds and oversea the general running of the shelter. The first committee members raised the money for the buildings. The main building consists of male and female dormitories, with full bathrooms, a communal area for eating and entertainment and a kitchen. We can accommodate up to 42 men and 12 women. During winter we have a Winter Campaign where we are pushed to maximum capacity with extra beds in our skills rooms. When someone arrives at the shelter we assist them by providing secure overnight sleeping accommodation, an evening meal and breakfast and ablution facilities with warm showers. Social work services are given such as counselling, identity document applications, social grant applications, pension applications, liaising with other organisations such as old age homes, clinics and hospitals. Various workshops are given like the HIV awareness program. The shelter can be full, however we can offer help to people with a warm plate of food, a shower, clothes and a waterproof sleeping bag. Objectives: - To provide temporary shelter for homeless adults living on the streets in the Helderberg District. - To undertake the social rehabilitation of destitute and homeless adults, assisting with physical, spiritual and economical needs towards self-reliance and re-integration into society. - To promote community awareness of social problems giving rise to and associated with vagrancy, and to encourage the participation of the public in the alleviation of such problems.