Lighthouse Wien
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| Founded | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Focus | Homelessness, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, psychiatry |
| Location | |
| Services | Homeless shelter |
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Key people
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Herbert Rausch, Chairman Christian Michelides, Director |
Lighthouse Wien is a Vienna, Austria-based non-profit homeless shelter and housing project for homeless persons with substance dependency, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and/or psychiatric disorders. The project is not subsidized. It was founded in 2003.
The project is based on an idea of Bernhard Durst in the 1990s, supported by television host Günter Tolar, Vienna’s AIDS pastor Clemens Kriz OSsT and a committee of prominent representatives of Austria’s civil society. In view of Lighthouse projects already realized in Hamburg, Basel and Zürich, Vienna should also get a housing project for people with HIV and AIDS. As he died from AIDS in March 1995, Bernhard Durst could not witness the realization of his dream.
The foundation of the first apartment for four inhabitants succeeded in March 2000 in Vienna’s Löwengasse (Lions Street). It was carried out by Friederike Baca, Christian Michelides, Herbert Rausch and the self-help organization Menschen und Aids (Club Plus) [Humans and AIDS], and it was heavily supported with moral encouragement and financial means by Burgl Helbich-Poschacher from the Order of the Maltese.
The main building of the project in Dampfschiffstrasse 8 [Steamboat Street], a five storey residential building in the centre of the city, was rented in May 2001 and was – for the first three years – run in cooperation with Ute Bock, who then gave (and still gives) shelter to asylum seekers. The whole building was then restored according to the needs of the inhabitants. The first apartment, as well as the main Lighthouse building and the additional apartments in the neighbourhood were consecrated by cardinal Christoph Schönborn.
Founded in 2003, the association is chaired by a voluntary board of three members. The first chairwoman was Friederike Baca, followed by chairmen Andreas Hofmann (2005–2008) and Herbert Rausch (since 2008).
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Wikipedia