The History of Organization

The Saint-Petersburg’s Region Charitable Social Non-Government Organization “Nochlezhka” was founded in December 1997 in the result of  reorganization of Target Charitable Fund “Nochlezhka”, established in 1990.

From the moment of its foundation in 1990 “Nochlezhka” was striving for cancelation of clauses 198 and 209 CC RF, which were specified in institution of criminal proceedings against vagrancy, begging and parasitism (clauses had been cancelled in December 1991). 

The History of “Nochlezhka’s” Development

2012

“Nochlezhka” – is one of the most professional and skillful organizations in its field of activity.

On this day we realize the following projects:

• Shelter for Homeless (Borovaya st. 112B)
• The Night Bus – mobile help
• Heating Center - winter’s heated tents
• Halfway Home - alco/drug addicted rehab
• Counseling Services - juristic and social help
• Lobbying and Government Relations – dissemination of organization’s experience and  lobbying the revision of legislation  in favour of homeless people
• Public Relations – informing the society about homelessness’s problem and public opinion change about homeless people.

“Nochlezhka” – is 22 years of fight with homelessness, is hundreds of volunteers and partners, is thousands of rescued lives.

2011

·    “The night bus” – it was served out more than 24000 portions of hot meal.

·    “Shelter” – 172 people had been gotten a roof over their heads and a help of social workers.

·    “Heating point” - 317 people passed a night in warm, preserving a life & health.

·    “Consulting service” – it had been rendered more than 2600 of consultations, 250 consultations of jurists/lawyers.

·    “Halfway home” - 18 people had been gotten rid of addiction.

- The Photo Exhibition “Zhizn’” (Life) took place in gallery “ART LIGA”.  It “Will Never End”, is being a lively story of real homeless people. Authors of this project: Viktor Yul’yev, Valeriy Gavrilihin & other Peterburg’s photo artists.

- The Photo Exhibition “Spyashiye” (Sleeping) was under way in loft-project “Etazhi”, in which there were presented reported pictures about life of people without homes and registration.

- In June, the charitable concert of Boris Grebenschikov took place in Hotel “Rol’f Oktyabr’skaya”.

- Jointly with newspaper “Nevskoye Vremya” it had been launched a project, which gives an opportunity for homeless people to earn. Homeless people keep for themselves all funds received from selling newspapers to townspeople.

- In August. the charitable action for fund raising for help of homeless people of Petersburg took place in Switzerland’s town Basel.

- Same month the consul general of France in Saint-Petersburg Elisabeth Barsacq visited “Nochlezhka”.

- The charitable ball “Noch’ Mayakov” (The night of Beacons) took place in October in which some celebrities and well-known people took part.

- For the first time “Nochlezhka” independently carried out an action of New Year’s Eve presents collection for homeless people. It had been collected more than 400 gift sets, consisted of primary necessities.

2010

·    “The Night Bus” - it had been served out more than 31000 portions of hot meal.

·    “Shelter” – 126 people had been gotten a roof over their heads and a help of social workers.

·    “Heating point” - 427 people passed a night in warm, preserving a life & health

·    “Consulting service” – it had been rendered more that 2000 of consultations.

·    “Halfway home” - 16 people had been gotten rid of addiction.

- “Nochlezhka” celebrates 20 years. The Exhibition “Otkroy Zamok – Noviye My” (Pick a Lock – New Us) organized in gallery “Borey”, devoted to volunteers of organization.

- The action “Charitable card in help of homeless people” had been started. The artist from Saint-Petersburg Nikolay Chiryat’yev drew the card for “Nochlezhka” – “It is kindness”. It can be purchased in the network of ethnic  shops (more details on homeless.ru).

- In April, “Nochlezhka’s” specialists sent an open letter to vice-governor Lyudmila Kostkina with request to enlarge the network of social shelters & houses of staying during a night for homeless people. 

- In June, “Nochlezhka” conducted an international community work day for townspeople. Homeless inhabitants of St. Petersburg, volunteers, organization’s employees and everyone who wishes, all comers cleaned away the “dirt” from the art-object “House of Little Prince” made by designer Roman Alexandrov – symbolic poverty map of Planet Earth. 

-  The charitable auction of “Nochlezhka” took place in October. The charitable shop

“Horoshop” had been opened.

 2009

- It had been increased dramatically the quantity of homeless people in Petersburg because of world finance crisis.

- It had been succeeded to open the second heating point in Petersburg. Similar tents were appearing in Kaliningrad and Vladimir cities.

- Handbook of homeless had begun to publish not only in Saint-Petersburg. The regions took over the similar initiative – participators of network “For Overcoming of social exclusion”.

- Cause of initiative of design-studio DEZA and Alexander Suvorov the project BEZ DNA (NO BOTTOM) had been born. The purpose of this project was to convince inhabitants of Saint-Petersburg to renounce the stereotypes concerning homeless people.

- In April, “Nochlezhka” jointly with fund “Milost’” and International female club conducts the charitable ball in Atrium of Pietropavlovsk Krepost’ (Pietropavlovsk Castle).

- “Nochlezhka’s” specialists addressed the governor with an open letter requesting to create in town the separate shelter for homeless women.

- “Nochlezhka” launched the public campaign for revision of system of RF townspeople registration. One of the most priority directions – accessibility of public health for RF townspeople without registration.

- The launch of new project “The step to Health” in the network of social/non-government campaign for revision of system of RF townspeople registration.

2008

- With the very active participation of “Nochlezhka’s” specialists the three-year program for the prevention of homelessness in Saint-Petersburg had been developed and proved.

- Under the aegis of Boris Greben’schikov the concert in support of homeless people took place in DK Lensovet (House of Culture Lensovet). Billy’s band, Markscneider Kunst and “Splin” also took part in this concert.

- In Autumn, the Princess of Denmark visited a shelter at Borovaya st.

2007

- “Nochlezhka” launches the second “Night  Bus”, running at the south outskirts of the city.

- The Heating Point had been opened – heated tent, where homeless people get the place overnight during the cold time of the year, food, help of social and medical workers. At that moment it was the only Heating Point in Russia for homeless people. From the moment of “Nochlezhka” project’s launch the opening of Heating Points lobbies actively in every area of the city.

2005

- “Nochlezhka” acquired a new home at Borovaya st. 112 B, where it is located still.

- The chain of  various actions with a single name “A Man to a Man” had been carried out successfully.

- From that year the handbook of homeless person, which was published for the first time in 1998, became annual.

2004

- With the participation of organization the new municipal program “For Prevention of Homelessness” had been created and accepted for execution. In 2004-2005, with the support of European Union “The Social reintegration of homeless townspeople in Saint-Petersburg” project was being put into effect. In the network of project organization’s scope of activity had been extended –all conditions of receiving a well medical help had been done for homeless people who don’t have any documents.

- The All-Russian network of organizations which help homeless people had been found. The unique experience of research activities was accumulated in the time of organization’s work. In 1994, the book “Saint-Petersburg in early 90’s – crazy, cold, cruel” was published (in Russian and English) with the analysis of most daunting social problems of Saint-Petersburg and with the list of non-government organizations which laboring in social sphere. Jointly with Saint-Petersburg’s branch of Academy of Science it had been studied the sociological research of homelessness.

- The analytic labor with the analysis of the legal status of persons without place of residence had been published.

2003

- CPO “Nochlezhka” jointly with network partners prepared and presented in Geneva alternative report for “UN Commission on social, culture and economic rights”.  

- in 2003-2004, the project “Notebook” had been realized which merged over 30 social organizations of North-West region. In the result of project it had been published a book “3000 of fortunes” representing a message of socially excluded people from the society.

2002

- The project “Night Bus” had been opened. During the year over 30000 people had been gotten the hot meal. Кроме еды уличные бездомные ежедневно получают социальную консультацию и медицинскую помощь.

2000

- It had been opened the rehab center for homeless people who suffer from alcohol dependence, “Halfway Home”.  Annually over 20 people pass the rehabilitation, over 16 of them have the positive long-term result – found a habitation, job.

- The analytic labor with the analysis of the legal status of persons without place of residence had been published.

1997

- In the course of reorganization of charitable fund“Nochlezhka” it had been come into existence the Saint-Petersburg’s Region Charitable Public Organization “Nochlezhka”.

1996

- “Nochlezhka” was organizing polling places for homeless people where they participate in election and national public voting on the issuance of a Constitution of Russian Federation. Last time we had initiated the opening of election districts in North-West Region of Russia during the presidential election of Russian Federation in 20o4.

1995

- “Nochlezhka” participated in elaboration and initiated approval by executive and legislative authorities of Saint-Petersburg the package of normative legal acts aimed at the solution of the problems of homelessness. Documents had been approved by the government of Saint-Petersburg in 1997, including the law “About Prevention of Homelessness in Saint-Petersburg” and a relevant social program which had been acting till 2000.

1994

- It had been founded the newspaper “NA DNE” (“At The Bottom”). In present moment this edition comes out as a magazine version named “The Way Home”. The main purpose of magazine – is to help homeless people to get back in society and give them an opportunity of legal earnings (any homeless person can become a distributer of newspaper). Today this magazine publishes by the affiliate organization “Noviye Social’niye Resheniya” (New Social Decisions). “The Way Home” is a member of International Network of street newspapers.

1993

- The first charitable dining hall for homeless people had been opened.

- “Nochlezhka” was organizing polling places for homeless people where they participate in election and national public voting on the issuance of a Constitution of Russian Federation.

1990

- The group of people concerned by the discrimination of homeless people’s rights created the charitable fund “Nochlezhka”.

- Same year “Nochlezhka” succeeded in compeling Petrosovet to make a decision about giving a visit cards of the buyer and main food ticket’s packs to homeless people (this documents had been giving only to residents of Leningrad who had registration), the system of “alternative registration” had been created.

- From the moment of its foundation “Nochlezhka” was striving for cancelation of clauses 198 and 209 CC RF, which were specified in institution of criminal proceedings against vagrancy, begging and parasitism (clauses had been cancelled in December 1991).