HONG KONG (SE): MercyHK, the charity organisation founded by Oblate Father John Wotherspoon, seeking to raise HK$2,000,000 to establish a new centre for the homeless in Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei. The Mercy HK Shanghai Street Centre, located near the organisation’s existing canteen, aims to provide street sleepers with a safe space to spend their days, participate in activities and receive support.
Father Wotherspoon said that the goal of the initiative is to offer assistance and a secure place for homeless individuals within the community. The facility will operate every day and provide shower facilities, meals, and seating for relaxation. Additionally, it will function as a hub for dispensing essential items such as clothing, food, and medication.
He mentioned that the centre will also provide a place where caseworkers can encourage the homeless to transition into proper housing. According to him, the Dr. Jesus Centre, also run by the group, has been providing meals to homeless individuals every Monday and Thursday. However, many of these individuals, who often struggle with mental or health issues, prefer to remain on the street. While caseworkers have successfully placed some in nursing homes or other facilities, many prefer their current lifestyle.
Father Wotherspoon recounted that one man, who had been homeless for 30 years, recently accepted placement in a nursing home thanks to the dedication of caseworkers who spent time listening to him. “The caseworkers need a dedicated space where homeless individuals can gather daily. This would allow caseworkers to spend more time with them, hear their stories and help them with things they need daily like clothing, meals or medicine,” he said.
The facility will operate every day and provide shower facilities, meals, and seating for relaxation. Additionally, it will function as a hub for dispensing essential items such as clothing, food, and medication
The centre is located in an accessible area on the ground floor, and on August 1, the group signed a three-year contract with the owner at only $21,000 per month, which is possible due to the present economic downturn.
The facility will have full-time staff presence with a social worker, a caseworker, and a part-time nurse. It will also ask the support of St Vincent de Paul Society of St. Paul’s Church in Yau Ma Tei to refer cases and assist with the distribution of food, clothing, and other necessities for the needy.
Father Wotherspoon said the centre would also welcome donations of summer clothes or small items that the homeless people will find helpful for the present season.
The facility is meant to offer a secure environment for people without homes, and staff are trained to manage security issues associated with drug use by carefully monitoring the situation.
The centre is expected to host around 30 people at a time, with the potential for students and other community groups to visit and interact with the individuals. The overarching goal is to create a supportive and welcoming environment, promoting harmony and reducing the negative impacts of homelessness on the community.
Father Wotherspoon said the centre would also welcome donations of summer clothes or small items that the homeless people will find helpful for the present season
Father Wotherspoon also thinks that it’s important for the community to offer a secure space for homeless people instead of allowing them to remain on the streets. This approach can decrease the likelihood of them resorting to illegal activities like theft or begging to survive, to the benefit of everyone.
MercyHK hopes to have the centre operational by early September. Donations are needed to cover renovation, facility, operating costs, and staff salaries.
Eddie Chan Chi-kong, director of MercyHK, said that a week after the group announced the fundraising on August 6, over $360,000 had been raised thanks to the generosity of donors. But he added that the group still has a long way to go before reaching the goal of $2,000,000.
He said that the group was been granted the Keswick Fund to support its services for the drug prevention and rehabilitation of ethnic minorities, as well as the Beat Drugs Fund from the Hong Kong government, which can allow the group to hire two more staff members for its services.
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