Abstract

The very important role at providing help for homeless people in Paris is ful-filled by the charitable associations. What is surprising here is the large number of those organizations, and also versatility of offered benefits and some innovativeness in the work with excluded persons. It is characteristic that some of those associations have been initiated by private people, sensitive to the phenomenon of social exclusion. The activities of Emaus Association, Caritas of France, A Crust of Bread Association, The Restaurants of Heart Association and The Dead on the Street Collective are especially worth noting. A important initiative, which, however, requires constant improvement, is the free helpline (115), where homeless people can find assistance. This helpline is jointly operated by government and associations. The large-scale involvement of volunteers in assistance activities must also be noted. Their work brings, first of all, measurable humanitarian effects, but also socio-economic ones. This activity is definitely worth pursuing in our reality.