The first shelter home has been inaugurated in Malta. Dar Papa Franġisku will provide meals or temporary shelter for persons in crisis. The Birkirkara home will be run by Caritas in partnership with the Government and the Alfred Mizzi Foundation.

Persons experiencing difficulties – or feel lonely or lack the basic needs such as food and a place for shelter – can recur to the Dar Papa Franġisku in Birkirkara.

It is the first project of the ‘Fondazzjoni Dar il-Hena’, made up of Caritas Malta, the Government and the Alfred Mizzi Foundation who came up with the idea of the home. Julian Sammut from the foundation said that the kitchen concept providing meals was initiated on the 100th anniversary since the foundation of the Alf. Mizzi & Sons company.

“We guarantee a good and well balanced daily meal in a simple but genuine way, and provide all the needs of food, ingredients”, Mr Sammut said.

With time the concept developed into an emergency shelter for persons in difficulty, including persons who leave their home and end up on the street.

Caritas Malta director, Leonid McKay, said that the home is a dream that became a reality as there was the idea of a similar home since the days of Dun Victor Grech.

“With regards to temporary shelter currently we have 20 beds accommodating men and women. In the case of meals, which will be run by Alf. Mizzi & Sons, there are 36 seats to accommodate daily persons in need”, Mr McKay added.

Persons working in the Dar Papa Franġisku received the necessary training on similar home models that Caritas has in Rome. Family and Social Solidarity Minister, Michael Farrugia, said that the Government will be paying the staff salaries at the shelter, which will be opened 24 hours a day and seven days a week. He said there are 10 full-time care workers and even social workers who refer persons seeking shelter at the home to other services they need.