Olesya Sanotska Support Center is the center that provides sanitation services, as well as food, laundry, clothes, haircuts, etc. to people who live on the street or in conditions where they can not afford it.
“Oselya” has opened this center as a respond to a large number of the requests from many people in need. During the food distribution in the city center, people constantly asked if they can take shower and do laundry in “Oselya”. At that time In Lviv there were no places where homeless people could get sanitary and hygienic services, and this is one of their greatest needs. Dirty, worn-out clothing, bad smell indicates that a person has problems. Homeless people are ashamed of their appearance, therefore, they try to stay away from people and to contact less in order to avoid derogatory views. This leads to isolation, low self-esteem and, ultimately, to social exclusion. In order to start changing one’s life, one needs first to fix his or her appearance, so not to feel a shame for oneself.
Before the current place named after Olesya Sanotska, there was Kofoed’s social support center at the different location in Vynnyky city. It was created by Oselya in February 2008, following the example of the Kofoed’s Cellar in Copenhagen, and thanks to the financial support of the Kofoed’s School.
As well as to the Kofoed’s Cellar in Copenhagen, homeless people come to the Kofoed’s social support center in order to take shower, to do laundry, take clothing, get haircut, food, talk to the social worker or simply stay and drink tea in a safe environment. The social worker informs people about where and how to get help, tells about the possibility of resocialization in the Community. The Center is equipped with a shower cabin, a washing and a drying machines. Here the homeless people here can also apply to become vendors of the street magazine “Prosto neba”. The purpose of the Center is not only to provide the basic needs of people, but also to become an intermediate link for homeless people in their return from the street into society.
Every day the Center serves from 30 to 50 people. More information on the number of services provided in the annual reports of “Oselya”.
Address of the Olesya Sanotska support center: Vynnyky city, Halytska 12A Street.