The Flora Acoge shelter opens its doors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Lanzarote, becoming the first lodging center on the island. A resource for homeless people called 'Flora Guadalupe Toledo' and promoted by the Canary Foundation 'Flora Acoge'. A project aimed at satisfying the needs of subsistence, protection, leisure and participation of homeless people. A center that changed its schedule last Monday, December 11, since before, it only offered service until three in the afternoon.
For the entity, this is an achievement that "dignifies and improves the quality of life" of the beneficiaries of the project who, due to different circumstances in life, have found themselves in a situation of being on the street or at risk of being left without a home. The 'Flora Guadalupe Toledo' shelter is a medium-long stay accommodation service that has 17 places (three places for women and 14 places for men).
In addition to offering accommodation and guaranteeing the coverage of their basic needs, the foundation assists, welcomes, guides and accompanies the people welcomed in the process of improving their situation at a psycho-socio-educational and therapeutic level, favoring individualized work plans. Likewise, the occupation of their free time in a healthy way is promoted and teamwork and networking with the agents participating in said improvement process is encouraged.
During the current year, 63 people have passed through the shelter, according to the foundation. The profile of the population served from 2022 to June 2023 has been the following: men (74%), aged between 46 and 65 years (59%), Spaniards (58%), born mainly in the Canary Islands (43%), single (44%), who reported having occasional support networks from family members (54%), with primary studies (45%), in a working situation at the beginning of the reception, without economic income (62%), in a temporary reception situation (26%), or homeless (51%), stating that the main reason for the situation of social exclusion is the health problem (41%).
The 'Flora Acoge' foundation is a social initiative entity, non-profit, independent and plural of regional scope that carries out in Lanzarote the 'Social Inclusion' Program, which has different areas of action: homeless people, families, the elderly, children, adolescents and youth, awareness and volunteering.
In the case of the 'Flora Guadalupe Toledo' shelter, this is a project that is possible thanks to the subsidies received from the Cabildo de Lanzarote, from 'Social Projects Canarias 2023' of the La Caixa Foundation, and from the City Councils of Arrecife, San Bartolomé, Tías, Yaiza and Teguise to whom the entity wants to express its sincere gratitude for their support to promote the inclusion of people in society.
