Portimão sets up shelter for vulnerable and homeless people

Portimão City Council has finished setting up a temporary night shelter for vulnerable people, namely homeless people, displaying that the municipality is aware of their social action responsibilities at this time of year, when the weather conditions are marked by sharp drops in temperature at night.

This infrastructure, created in partnership with the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Portimão, complements a set of actions and measures that have been set out in the municipality over the last few years in the area of caring for those who need it and referring them authorities who can help put them on the right track

The temporary shelter, located next to the Hospital de São Camilo (former District Hospital of Portimão), operates every day from 20h00 to 09h00, and the reception period until 22h00. Any citizens who come across any situations of risk or people who are homeless and in need of help can call the municipal helpline called Protection 24: 808 282 112, available 24 hours a day.

Portimão’s working group on the problem of homelessness started its activity in May of 2018, and has carried out close monitoring, and signalling of many risk situations since.

Recently, a document has been prepared that will shape the future Municipal Contingency Plan in this scope, that covers the support procedures and mechanisms that will help the east the the response to help those in need when the set criteria are met, either by the Municipal Civil Protection (in matters related to risks), or by the social action services themselves (when the need for collective emergency resettlement appears).

This project, coordinated by the Housing, Social Development and Health Division of the Municipality of Portimão, integrates several entities and institutions that are contributing to solving the struggles of Portimão’s homeless, namely: Associação Planeamento Familiar Algarve; Caritas; Algarve University Hospital Center; Barlavento’s Specialized Technical Treatment Teams (ETET); GRATO – Support Group for Drug Addicts; Republican National Guard; Parish Councils of Alvor, Mexilhoeira Grande and Portimão; MAPS – Aids Support Movement; Public Security Police; Santas Casas da Misericórdia in Alvor, Mexilhoeira Grande and Portimão; Social Security; and the Municipal Civil Protection Service, with the support of the Portimão Firefighters and the Portuguese Red Cross.