Photo: Patrik Salát, Czech Radio
This past week, Czechia has seen temperatures drop below -20 degrees in the north of the country, while Prague expects to see a low of -11 by mid-week. The extreme cold has a profound impact on vulnerable groups, specifically those who are unhoused, who turn to organizations like the Salvation Army for help during the winter months. I spoke with the director of social services at the Salvation Army, Jitka Klánová to learn more about what the organization is doing to keep people warm.
The temperatures in Prague have dropped quite suddenly in what has been a relatively mild winter. Are you seeing an increased demand at the Salvation Army for your services with this cold snap?
“Yes definitely, more and more clients are coming to use our services, especially the low threshold ones like day shelters and night shelters. The Salvation Army and other organizations are part of a winter humanitarian measures program that is provided by the municipality of Prague every winter from December to the end of March. These days, with the low temperatures, we can see an extra demand in all these extra humanitarian services that are opened for these four months of the year.”
See the rest here.
Author: Amelia Mola-Schmidt