無家可歸者在一輛改裝過的公共汽車上尋求庇護

無家可歸者在一輛改裝過的公共汽車上尋求庇護

There's an innovative way for homeless people to find warmth in Toronto this winter. A repurposed coach bus is on the streets, offering shelter, food and a bed on cold nights for those who need it.

今年冬天，多倫多為無家可歸者提供了一種新穎的取暖方式。一輛改裝過的長途汽車出現(xiàn)在大街上，為那些需要幫助的人提供住所、食物和床鋪。

MARY JO DILONARDO

The Shelter Bus is a project by Humanity First, an international humanitarian relief organization based in Ontario. The retrofitted bus has been turned into an emergency mobile shelter. It seats 44 and, when converted into beds, sleeps 20.

避難所巴士是總部設(shè)在安大略省的國際人道主義救援組織“人道第一”的一個項目。這輛改裝過的公共汽車已經(jīng)變成了一個緊急流動避難所。它有44個座位，如果換成床，可以睡20個人。

"As part of my work, I always retire buses and they're sold for scrap metal basically for around $2,000 and we buy them for half a million dollars brand new," Shelter Bus Founder Naeem Farooqi tells CBC Toronto . "So I thought, is there a better social use for these buses?"

“作為我工作的一部分，我總是讓公交車退休，它們基本上以大約2000美元的價格賣掉廢金屬，而我們以50萬美元的價格購買全新的公交車，”Shelter Bus的創(chuàng)始人Naeem Farooqi告訴加拿大廣播公司多倫多分部。“所以我想，這些公交車有更好的社會用途嗎?”

Farooqi floated the idea of using a bus to help with the problem of homelessness in Toronto.

Farooqi提出了利用公交車來解決多倫多無家可歸問題的想法。

There are 35,000 Canadians who are homeless on any given night, according to Humanity First. About two homeless people die each week in Toronto.

據(jù)“人道第一”統(tǒng)計，在任何一個夜晚，都有3.5萬加拿大人無家可歸。在多倫多，每周大約有兩名無家可歸的人死亡。

A way to show compassion

一種表達(dá)同情的方式

Throughout most of the year, the bus will go out just on weekends. But now, with temperatures regularly staying frigid, the bus has been going out every night. It will continue to do so as the weather remains dangerous to the homeless. In fact, a second bus is in the works.

一年中大部分時間，公共汽車只在周末出去。但是現(xiàn)在，氣溫經(jīng)常保持寒冷，公交車每天晚上都在外面。由于天氣對無家可歸者來說仍然很危險，它將繼續(xù)這樣做。事實上，第二輛巴士正在建設(shè)中。

There aren't enough shelters in the area to meet the need in winter, so the bus helps with excess demand.

該地區(qū)沒有足夠的避難所來滿足冬天的需求，所以公交車幫助解決了過剩的需求。

Because it's mobile, the bus is able to go wherever the need is greatest. Local residents also like that the bus only comes out at night and therefore doesn't have a permanent spot in the community, Farooqi says.

因為它是移動的，公交車可以去任何最需要的地方。Farooqi說，當(dāng)?shù)鼐用褚蚕矚g公交車只在晚上出來，因此在社區(qū)里沒有固定的位置。

The bus operates with a volunteer driver and volunteer caretakers who offer snacks and key necessities like warm socks and toiletries.

巴士上有一名志愿司機和志愿看護者，他們提供零食和關(guān)鍵必需品，比如保暖襪子和洗漱用品。

In addition to providing a place for people to get out of the cold, the bus has a bathroom, tables and a kitchenette.

除了為人們提供一個避寒的地方，巴士上還有一間浴室、幾張桌子和一個小廚房。

"While I consider myself a transit geek and could go on and on about the logistics of this project, I'd like to come back to the core of what we are trying to do: showing compassion to the oft-ignored members of our community," Farooqi writes on LinkedIn.

Farooqi在領(lǐng)英上寫道:“雖然我認(rèn)為自己是一個交通極客，可以一直談?wù)撨@個項目的后勤工作，但我還是想回到我們努力做的事情的核心:對我們社區(qū)中經(jīng)常被忽視的成員表示同情。”

"Our team has considered it of the utmost importance to stay connected with people who are struggling from homelessness, and understanding their needs. Though our bus is not a long-term solution, we have been trying our best to raise awareness about the issues that the homeless face."

“我們的團隊認(rèn)為與那些在無家可歸中掙扎的人們保持聯(lián)系并了解他們的需求是最重要的。雖然我們的巴士不是長久之計，但我們一直在努力提高人們對無家可歸者所面臨問題的認(rèn)識。”