Nothing on the white van parked on the side of the road discreetly indicates that this is a mobile shower. And yet, every Monday, his trained guide comes to Paleo Faliro, passes by the places of the homeless and offers them a little dignity, unconditionally. “We have a complete picture,” says Mr. Yannis Fostiropoulosmayor of Palaio Faliro, adding that since 2019 the number of homeless people within the municipality has decreased from 31 to 12. The van has been on the streets for a few months and meets each one of them individually with the aim of offering them cleaning, clothes , some books, if they want, and to bring them one step closer to social integration, as was done with the rest.

“Through the Social Service and despite huge staff shortages, we have managed to reconnect many of the people who were homeless with their family environment. In addition, as a municipality, we have joined the program “Housing and Work” where we have absorbed some to work and so they left the street and finally some joined organized structures. Those who have stayed, unfortunately, are the most difficult cases, but the Welfare Service makes sure that it makes a better approach with them as possible for their health and for their food”, explains Mr. Fosteropoulos.

The van-shower that goes out into the streets is the result of the collaboration with the NGO “immortaliting”, which had the initiative, and is also visiting other areas of Attica. It matched, however, with the “personalized approach” applied by the Municipality of Faliro to the issue of the homeless. “We are trying to improve the conditions for these fellow citizens of ours. That’s why we cooperated with “immortaliting” from the very beginning. It enables people who don’t choose to enter a structure, change their clothes, wash themselves, do basic hygiene needs in the context they want.”

Network of actions for vulnerable populations

The white van is waiting for the next route, after the area has been disinfected, and a few meters further away is the entrance from Posidonos Avenue to one of the beaches of Palaio Faliros, where the Municipality offers free umbrellas for the public. Since the temperature has already started to rise, the men and women of Athens are attending, without exclusion.

“With the wooden walkway, we enable the elderly to be able to get very close to the sea,” says the mayor, presenting some of the stable infrastructure of the beach. In addition, there is a mechanism installed “so that people with disabilities can swim, as well as those who temporarily have an injury. We’ve had it for the last three years and it’s going amazing,” says Mr. Fostiropoulos. The bather who for some reason has difficulty moving needs a button, which he can use at all 200 points where the same sea access mechanisms have been installed throughout Greece and he receives it completely free of charge, as long as he contacts the municipal service to be informed, so that with the help of the mechanism he can enter the sea without trouble. There is also a lifeguard station on the beach, while balloons have been placed in the sea at 6 meters from the shore, so that if someone feels unwell they can be held by them. “It is the image of our city, the safety of the citizens,” comments the mayor of Palaio Faliro. “The beach is cleaned of stones and garbage once a week with a special machine, while we are also proceeding with the cleaning of the seabed. Those who swim here, swim safely. On open and free beaches” says the mayor of Palaio Faliro.

The facilities on the beaches may concern both visitors and Faliriotians, but the citizens enjoy additional social activities. For example, the municipality has established the “books that go home” program. “We started during the pandemic, when mostly elderly people called us, and we found that the world, in addition to the need for food and basic necessities, has a need for food for thought,” says Mr. Fostiropoulos. Initially, as a response to closed libraries and now on a permanent basis, beneficiaries who are mostly older, can either online or by phone order books from the lending library for home delivery.

With the aim of improving the living conditions of the same age group, i.e. people over 65 years old, the municipality of Faliro is one of the five European cities that joined the “Fast Forward” program, “a special platform for data collection by specialized medical personnel ». As Mr. Fosteropoulos explains “those who have specific diseases or are at the beginning of these diseases, such as instability, mental diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic diseases, hearing problems, undergo medical examinations and, if they meet the criteria, they are monitored for free for one year. Then, through the platform, they are given specialized and personalized advice” aimed at a safe and good quality of life.

“We are doing everything we can, and as much as possible to get closer to people and to get to know especially those who are locked in their homes and do not ask for help” emphasizes the mayor of Palaio Faliro, adding that in the municipality there are also structures such as Social Grocery. “Finally, there is the Community Center, a very important structure that has been created in recent years, where citizens can be informed about all the social benefits provided by the state and the Municipality. We remain by their side even in difficult circumstances” concludes Mr. Fostiropoulos.