The Menedékház Foundation is a Hungarian charity working to help homeless people and Roma families in need of shelter. The organisation has strong links with the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe, which has helped the foundation to refurbish its premises in the past, and to the community at St Margaret’s Anglican Church in Budapest.
In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Menedékház used part of its buildings in Budapest as a temporary refugee shelter for up to 60 people. As the crisis in Ukraine rages on, Menedékház is working to renovate a building in order to provide a more permanent, comfortable shelter for Ukrainian refugees.
With support from USPG and the Diocese in Europe’s Ukraine emergency appeal, the Menedékház Foundation will be able to install a new kitchen and redecorate a building for up to 20 refugees to live in. The local council is also helping the foundation by providing three meals a day and some financial support for the refugees. The refugees, most of Roma background, all have government-sanctioned refugee status in Hungary – which provides them better access to healthcare and education. The foundation also organises recreational activities for the refugee families.