Between Emergency Shelter and New Beginning: Women Share Their Stories - A shelter's lifeline: How two women rebuild after losing their homes

The Hildegard-Bleick-House women’s shelter in Wiesbaden has provided a temporary home for Erika, a 66-year-old who lost her apartment after her son’s death. She has lived there since March, sharing a room with another resident. The shelter supports around 50 homeless women under the leadership of director Alexandra Mare. Erika’s greatest hope this Christmas is to find her own apartment again. She has struggled to secure housing on the open market or in senior accommodation. At the shelter, she shares a room with a roommate, with the bathroom located down the hall and no locks on the doors.

Saskia, a 41-year-old single mother, arrived at the shelter in July after losing her home due to personal and financial difficulties. She manages her daily routine in the emergency accommodation, sharing a kitchen and occasionally cooking with other residents.

The shelter operates around the clock, with one room set aside for nighttime emergencies, though it is seldom used. Director Alexandra Mare, a theologian and social worker, oversees the facility, which enforces strict rules: no alcohol, no drugs, no racism, and no violence. The shelter welcomes women of all faiths.

Mare also prepares hot meals several times a week for residents and day guests, using donated food. These meals continue during the holidays, offering support to those staying short-term or long-term. Some women at the shelter have lived there for years, while others use it as a temporary solution. The facility provides stability and basic needs for women like Erika and Saskia as they work towards securing permanent housing. The shelter’s services aim to ease their daily challenges during difficult times.