SIX major charities contribute to the welfare of the territory's elderly and homeless mostly through outreach programmes and providing shelters or clothing. The Reverend Daniel Tse Yan-san of Christians for the Homeless Association said his group visited street-sleepers and cage people twice a week to offer counselling and clothes. 'We also have several activity centres providing food and activities such as videos and games,' he said. 'We have about 30 volunteers who help us reach out to our lists of 300 street-sleepers and 30 units of cage people.' Major David Botting from the Salvation Army said the body ran three types of centres for the elderly. 'We have our social service and day care centres where people can gather and have a warm drink and we have workers there providing counselling,' he said. 'We also have multi-service centres where people can have meals and it also prepares meals for delivery in our Home Care programme.' The group also runs two hostels for the homeless. The Hong Kong Red Cross provides blankets and clothing to the homeless and keeps stocks for emergency relief, usually after landslides, fires or typhoons. Street Sleepers' Shelter Services run three hostels for the homeless and destitute in Wan Chai, Shamshuipo and Yau Ma Tei providing 200 bed spaces. Caritas Hong Kong also runs several shelters providing counselling and group activities for the homeless to help them return to society and find work. The Methodist Church in Wan Chai provides out-reach services for the elderly concentrating on parks and sitting-out areas along with housing blocks. 'Many of the elderly don't know about their rights to public assistance and social welfare and we try to educate them on this,' said group spokesman Norman Lo Kam-wah. To send donations, Christians for the Homeless Association can be contacted on 2788 0670; Street Sleepers' Shelter Association on 2868 9818; Caritas Hong Kong on 2524 2071; the Salvation Army on 2332 4531; the Red Cross on 2802 0021; and the Methodist Church on 2527 2025.
