The Red Cross has opened a new centre in Brussels to address the increasing number of families, including those with infants and young children, who are left without housing solutions, the organisation said in a statement on Monday.
The Marie Curie Centre, which opened last Wednesday, is exclusively for families in need. Its initial capacity is 75 spaces, but the organisation aims to increase that number to 185 in the near future.
The increase in requests has been notably significant since the summer, the Red Cross reports. At the Humanitarian Hub in Brussels, which provides basic services such as meals and hygiene for unhoused individuals, 94% of requests for family housing in September were unsuccessful.
Recent figures indicate that nearly 10,000 people are currently without housing in Brussels.
The Marie Curie Centre was established with support from Vivalis, the Public Planning Service for Social Integration, and the Regional Public Service of Brussels. Families seeking accommodation need to contact Bruss’help’s orientation unit at 02/880.86.89.
In addition to this new facility, the Red Cross operates two shelters for single men, each with 100 spaces, at the Belliard and Train Hostel centres. For daytime assistance, the Humanitarian Hub remains a key resource for unhoused individuals in Brussels, serving approximately 800 meals daily.
The Red Cross also provided an average of 65 medical consultations per day during the first half of the year at its Refugee Medical Point (RMP).
