Avenida Association is driven by this spirit of solidarity, which also extends to its members, with the aim of helping those most in need within the vulnerabilities identified in its geographical area. It has a working group dedicated to this mission, which includes Associação CRESCER, a well-known social solidarity institution that devotes its daily work to supporting people experiencing homelessness, responding to urgent needs and accompanying life paths marked by fragility, invisibility, and inequality. CRESCER’s work in favour of a more humane society is remarkable!

Aware that collective solidarity is a cornerstone of the proper functioning of these organizations, Avenida Association is focused on providing support in the most practical way possible, which is why it contributed with the donation of essential goods designed for two of CRESCER’s main projects. To É UM RESTAURANTE, several items were donated, tableware, kitchen equipment, and uniforms, which enable strong performance in the kitchen and excellent presentation. It is in this restaurant, which has already become a must-stop on Avenida da Liberdade, that several CRESCER beneficiaries begin a new life of work and inclusion.
The second project, called É UMA CASA – Housing First, offers individual housing and psychosocial support to people experiencing chronic homelessness in Lisbon. Thirty of these homes are now equipped with household appliances donated by  Avenida Association, a small gesture that contributes to dignified living conditions.

Starting over with a new support network

We had the opportunity to see the two projects up close and speak with people who faced the harsh reality of living on the streets for about a year, deprived of the most basic living conditions. It is a very dark period that they now look back on as recent history. With our eyes on the future, we asked two beneficiaries what CRESCER’s support has meant to them, and it was not without emotion that we witnessed the experience of the present moment, so full of dedication and hope. CRESCER’s work has immeasurable value, as reflected in Rogério’s words, and goes far beyond the hospitality training that now allows him to have a job and the essential autonomy for life.

‘With CRESCER, many things in my life have changed. The association brought me many friends, stability. Friends… that is part of life. Beyond what I have learned in the course, I have learned to be more responsible and, above all, to be a better person than I was before.”

One day at a time
In a new home on the outskirts of Lisbon, Susana (a fictitious name), marked by a series of unexpected events and several episodes of domestic violence that pushed her onto the streets, finally found in the É UMA CASA project the shelter, psychological support, and peace she had longed for. Her words rush out with the excitement of finally feeling the comfort of living in a home.

‘This project is unbelievable for me, it’s amazing!! I met CRESCER at the crucial moment. If another day or two had passed… When I arrived here, I couldn’t see anything… I couldn’t focus on anything. It was difficult. But with therapy, it helps. I’m rebuilding myself.’

Optimism and a desire to learn are great allies for Susana, who lives ‘one day at a time.’

‘I really enjoy learning about alternative therapies. And I always have hope; I’m very optimistic. I’m the kind of person who can throw a party with just two people. There is nothing that cannot be fixed, only death can’t!
A wish for the future? Honestly, the most important thing for me is to have health. Because if I have health, I can do anything. Often I worry about feeling so well… and suddenly something might happen. But this is connected to feeling happy.”

Each person supported by CRESCER is accompanied according to their specific needs, with a view to recovering a more dignified life and gaining skills for employment. It is work that is truly worth knowing and supporting in all its aspects.