BASIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT OF THE MENUS FOR THE HOMELESS IN THE STATUTORY CITY OF BRNO
THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT
An idea to help people without homes came to Mr. Richard Hosek’s mind (keeper of several restaurants) as he had been inspired by experience from abroad. He spoke to the heads of the city of Brno and proposed a motion to utilize unsold menus from restaurants. However, the negotiations were not successful at the first stage. Dr. Daniel Rychnovsky, the 1st Deputy of the City of Brno Mayor, was the only person who started responding on his proposal. Therefore, in autumn of 2009, a meeting of representatives of the Social Welfare Department of the Brno City Municipality /MMB/ and other organizations providing help people in need, was held.
THE AIMS OF THE PROJECT
The aim of that project is to provide help people in extreme life situation in order to assure them quality foods. This assistance is provided in cooperation with those restaurants for which is extremely unethical liquidating remains of some unsold mid-day menus or, other foods intended for a fast consumption. The project offers help to citizens in need via organizations which work with those people trying to involve them in a common life. It deals with interconnecting of private, non-profit and public sectors in matter of support and solidarity to people without homes and moreover, attempts to increase citizen awareness of those people. In simply words, the aim is to prevent foods from throwing away and give them to the homeless.
THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT
In January 2010, restaurants placed in the center of the city of Brno were addressed by an email from a representative of Social Welfare Department (MMB) together with a letter from the 1st Deputy of the City of Brno Mayor. Finally, there were in total five restaurants interested in helping people in need. The Social Service Center (the allowance organization of MMB) was assigned to the project implementation. The project has been running from 3rd February 2010. In that month a total of 533 unsold menus of 8 restaurants were issued. Afterward, another three restaurants joined the project during this month. Those menus were dispensed at the Salvation Army, 25Mlynska Street in Brno. The menus were served in disposable plastic boxes in order to follow the hygiene standards.
During the month of March 2010, a vehicle was bought for collecting foods from the restaurants. As well further restaurants and one bakery joined the project as the bakery started to contribute by providing breads. Mr. Hosek made a deal with a marketing agency called Multidekor, s. r. o., which created a logo for this project and together with all restaurant logos (those which have been involved in the project) were stuck on the purchased vehicle. By this step, the whole project made itself visible to all citizens of the city of Brno. Besides the main menus, even bowls of soup also started being issued. A bowl of soup with breads from the bakery is also taken as a small menu. Afterward, the Portal Lunchtime was addressed by Dr. Daniel Rychnovsky, the Deputy of the City of Brno Mayor. There are around 300 restaurants registered offering daily menus. The Social Service Center also hired a representative who is in charge of coordination of the whole project.
During the month of April, a meeting was held to set requirements needed for accomplishment of the project (a meeting of all the involved restaurants and representatives of Regional Hygiene Station in Brno). Seven more restaurants were incorporated into the project what caused that daily capacity of the Salvation Army (where the issuance occurred) was not enough big to manage it. Moreover, due to the heavy traffic in the city and higher number of restaurants involved in the project, it occurred that drivers came late at the place of issuance. For those reasons has been daily telephoned to the restaurants in order to find out if there are some menus left to compress the entire travel plan. On the appointment was decided about a preparation of a new place of issuance at the Social Prevention House, 20Podnasepni Street, Brno, which is an affiliate branch of the Social Service Centre (the allowance organization). There would be bowls of soups and breads served to the homeless.
In May, a number of collected menus were increased approximately to 80 portions (including small menus). As well we started issuing at two places as main menus at the Salvation Army, Mlynska Street and bowls of soup with breads at the Social Prevention House on Podnasepni Street.
During summer months a number of collected menus decreased from the holiday’s sake, moreover, one of involved restaurant backed out of the project because of its opening hours. This restaurant had stopped cooking midday menus. Also another restaurant ceased cooking menus as they offer only minute’s menu depending on customer orders. However, this restaurant at least continues providing with soups to the homeless.
From September, a number of collected menus were stabilized on an average number of 60 meals per day. Other restaurant had joined the project as well. This situation stayed unchanged until the end of the year. Therefore there were involved, in total, 14 restaurants and one bakery in the project. So during the year of 2010 was delivered a total of 6125 main menus and 7815 bowls of soup with bread, which are accepted as small menus.
THE PRESENT SITUATION OF THE PROJECT
There have been three new restaurants joined the project since the new year thereby a number of collected menus have been increased on approx. 70 portions per day. We keep telephoning to the restaurants involved in the project in order to check if there is a menu left. Some restaurants call themselves if there are menus left. Two gas stations has also joined the project, they contribute with unsold breads. Issuing of meals pursues at The Salvation Army, 25Mlynska Street and at the Social Prevention House on 20Podnasepni Street in Brno from 3.30pm to 5.00pm depending on the traffic situation of the city and a number of remained menus from those restaurants. Issuing is assured by staff of the Salvation Army and the Social Service Centre at mentioned places. The staff are instructed in the hygiene standards. Main menus are distributed in disposable menu boxes, soups are dispensed in plastic bowls together with a plastic spoon and with breads.
- There are 17 restaurants, 1 bakery and 2 gas station involved in the project.
- Menus are collected from Monday to Friday, excluding bank and public holidays.
- Coordinator of the project is the Social Service Centre (the allowance organization of MMB, 22 Tabor Street, 61600, Brno.
Arrangements are related to a special vehicle running, purchasing of packaging for food issuing and transport (such as thermos bags, insulating containers, stainless steel ladles, disposable menu boxes, plastic bowls, spoons for soup issuing, food sacks for transport of breads from the bakery, plastic gloves for bread issuing), propellants for a vehicle running, staff, business premises, communication with restaurants and organizations participating in running of the project.
CURRENT EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT
After one year running of the project is extreme important to thank all entrepreneurs who have become involved in the project and are not afraid of pillorying for helping the homeless. On the contrary, customers can be sure that those restaurants daily provide them with fresh meals. Restaurateurs publicly show in this way their solidarity with people without homes expressing that they are indifferent to human fates. They help keeping a human dignity thereby the homeless do not find foods inside garbage cans and containers in the city. Furthermore, we want to thank the staff at restaurants who prepare meals into box menus and also those who take part of issuing and transporting the menus. Words of thanks belong to all people who are anyhow connected with the project as organizing, media covering, running and successful arranging of the whole project from the beginning till today.
Up to the date of 28th March 2011 were issued a total of 8210 main menus and 10065 small menus (a small menu – a bowl of soup with bread) which is not a small menu as far as we consider that it would be thrown away into garbage cans.
This project interconnects a public, business and non-profit sectors by helping people without homes, it prevents against wasting of foods, and it increases solidarity with people being in difficult life situation and helps them keep their dignities.
PROJECT COODINATOR:
The Social Service Centre, the allowance organization of the Brno City Municipality, Tabor street 22, 616 00, Brno
PROJECT PARTNERS
The Social Care Division of Brno Municipal Government, 19 Koliste Street, 602 00, Brno
The Social Service Centre of Josef Korbel, The Salvation Army, 25Mlynska Street, 602 00, Brno
The Civic Association – Slunce nad Brnem o.s., www.sluncenadbrnem.cz
All involved restaurants in the project, www.menickaprobezdomovce.cz
The LunchTime portal, www.lunchtime.cz
The advertising agency – Multidekor, s. r. o., 66a Hnevkovskeho Street, 617 00, Brno
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT
or Bc. Petr Janik, Project Coordinator, phone number: +420 541421924, email: janik@cssbrno.cz
