Ervaring die Staat immediately feels like a place where people are truly seen. During our tour, we walk past the creative workspace, the bicycle workshop, the candle-making studio, the communal dining area, and the staff offices. Everywhere, something is happening. People are working, eating, talking, and laughing.
For people experiencing homelessness, this is far more than just a daytime activity center. It is a safe place to be during the day. A place where, for a moment, survival is not the only focus.
We speak with Pim Jansen, an outreach street worker at Ervaring die Staat. Together with his colleagues, he goes out onto the streets to find people who need help. Sometimes people are referred by the municipality, sometimes they arrive through word of mouth, and sometimes Pim literally meets them outside.
“We often do the groundwork,” Pim explains. “Until someone connects with us and tells us what they need.”
That takes time. Trust is not built in a single conversation. Sometimes it takes months, sometimes years, before someone accepts help. Pim shares stories about people he continued visiting for a year and a half or even longer before enough trust had been built to take the next step.
Behind every situation is a story. Shame, distrust of institutions, complicated regulations, or simply no access to the right support. For Pim and his colleagues, one thing remains central: keep showing up. Keep listening. And keep seeing the person behind the situation.
During our visit, we also speak with Sultan, a man from Hungary who sleeps outside. He has been coming to Ervaring die Staat for years. During the day, he often stays at the location, and at night he cycles to a quiet place outside the city.
Sultan uses a Shelterbag to stay warm. “I put an extra blanket over it,” he says. “That way I’m better protected during the night and I stay warm.”
He deliberately avoids sleeping in the middle of the street. “I have a good spot. Quiet. Outside the city.” The Shelterbag helps him get through the night there safely.
He honestly shares what works well and what could be improved. The newer Shelterbag ventilates better, but he preferred certain features of the older version. This kind of feedback is incredibly valuable to us. Improving our products starts with listening to the people who use them.
In Eindhoven, there are not enough shelter beds for everyone sleeping outside. On top of that, not everyone automatically qualifies for shelter. Where you come from, where you are registered, and what your situation is often determines whether you can receive support.
Pim sees the impact of this every day. People have to keep calling to find a place to stay, even when they do not have a phone. Others fall outside the system because they do not meet the requirements.
For these people, a Sheltersuit or Shelterbag can mean the difference between an unprotected night outside and a night with a little more warmth, safety, and dignity.
Ervaring die Staat and Sheltersuit have been working together for nearly ten years. Since the early days of Sheltersuit, products have been distributed through Pim, Michael, and their team to people who truly need them.
That is what makes this partnership so valuable. The street workers know the people, know who is sleeping outside, and can assess who needs a Sheltersuit or Shelterbag. Over time, Ervaring die Staat has also become a kind of distribution point for organizations in the region, including Helmond and surrounding municipalities.
This creates a strong local chain: Sheltersuit makes the products, and Ervaring die Staat ensures they reach the right people.
A Sheltersuit or Shelterbag does not solve homelessness. We know that. But as long as people are forced to sleep outside, protection is essential. Against cold, wind, rain, and dampness. And perhaps just as importantly, it lets someone know they have not been forgotten.
At Ervaring die Staat, we once again saw how important a human-centered approach is. A meal, a conversation, a place to work, a listening ear, and sometimes a warm Shelterbag: together, they make a difference.
Would you like to help people like Sultan get through the night warm and protected? Donate today and help provide a Sheltersuit or Shelterbag to someone without a roof over their head.
