Why
"Every homeless person needs a friendly word.
It is a door to hope and the road to dignity. "
Theo Lens
Homeless. Without a house. Nowhere at home.
Left out. Not welcome. Not safe. Not clean. Not at rest.
Millions of people worldwide are now homeless. Young and old. Stranded on the street. Injured in their existence and spirit.
Seeking - like every human being - for rest, peace, security, warmth, happiness, a bed - and when the hope is big enough – to a return to the 'normal' world...
Homelessness seems a universe away, yet is close to home.
In the Netherlands it involves tens of thousands of people. In Europe hundreds of thousands. In the USA many millions.
People find themselves stupefied in the streets.
Not knowing how to get out of there. Jammed in a lifestyle they did not voluntarily choose for.
The Dr. Lens Foundation - named after the late caring family doctor from Raalte - calls to be a brothers' keeper from the heart.
Initiator of the foundation is Theo Lens, the son of the family doctor from Raalte. Theo knows from his personal experience that contact and a safe and warm home is important for every person. The following conviction arose from his creative journey as a musician and documentary maker; "Every homeless person needs a friendly word and hope, to be able to find a safe moment and the road to dignity. A friendly word is the least we can mean, and can make a world of difference.'
The foundation wants to stimulate the social inclusiveness of homeless people, organizes clear awareness campaigns and calls for empathy, promotes contact with the homeless and offers concrete contributions.