As summers become increasingly extreme, life in large cities is growing more dangerous—especially for people experiencing homelessness. Without access to drinking water, shade, or cool indoor spaces, even a short heatwave can lead to life-threatening health emergencies. During the holiday season, the situation worsens further: donations drop, fewer free meal options are available, and many unhoused people lose the small safety nets they rely on.
To raise awareness and respond with concrete action, we are continuing an extraordinary initiative in Berlin: refugees cooking for people who are homeless.
Thanks to the generous support of Swiss director and film producer Oliver Rihs, the project is being revived in partnership with Be an Angel e.V. and our restaurant Kreuzberger Himmel, which has been run entirely by people with refugee experience since 2018.
The initiative “Refugees Cook for the Homeless” was first launched during the pandemic. From March 2020 to April 2021, more than 70,000 meals were prepared and distributed—funded at the time by the Berlin Senate, Aktion Mensch, and individual donors.
With the renewed support of Oliver Rihs, the project now continues at a moment when the need is especially urgent.
reuzberger Himmel continues to stand as a space for community, cultural dialogue, and employment opportunities for people with refugee backgrounds. The project shows that integration is not a one-way process — it benefits everyone.
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