At ten o’clock in the morning, we were meant to meet Mundy beneath a highway overpass in Amsterdam. It was raining, cold, and felt like one of the harshest days of the season so far. This was where we were to meet Mundy — an artist who has been sleeping outside for about a year.
Together with Denice, a fieldworker from HVO-Querido, we headed there. She planned to give Mundy a haircut and bring him some supplies. Mundy had said he was happy to talk. We were looking forward to hearing his story, seeing the place he had built for himself, and discovering his artwork.
But when we arrived, everything had changed.
What happens at night leaves its mark in daylight
Mundy was sitting beneath the overpass on a camping chair, sheltered by a small umbrella and wrapped in layers of blankets. Next to him were the remains of what had been his home just hours earlier. Around three o’clock that morning, he had woken up to fire. The place he had carefully built — a structure of wood, fabric, and found materials — was suddenly in flames. Mundy suffered burns to his hand and face. Almost all of his belongings were lost.
The intensity of the fire was still visible. Black scorch marks reached high up the concrete pillars of the overpass. Mundy had been unable to call for help. His phone, his papers — everything had burned.
An artist without a studio
Mundy is an artist. His shelter was not only a place to sleep, but also the space where he worked and kept his art. All of his artworks were lost in the fire. He told us he had been looking forward to our visit. The day before, he had cleaned and prepared everything to show us around — his work and the life he had built for himself.
What remained
Earlier this year, Mundy received a Sheltersuit. Despite the fire, he managed to save a few personal belongings — including parts of his Sheltersuit. Denice showed photos of what his place looked like before the fire: a carefully built space, fragile, yet full of character and creativity.
A fellow fieldworker took Mundy to receive medical care. He was offered a place in a night shelter. Still, he prefers sleeping outside — which is exactly why he had created this place beneath the overpass.
This is the reality of living without a safe place
Given the shock and everything that had happened, this was not the moment for a longer conversation. We agreed to meet again later, once Mundy has had time to recover and can tell his story in his own words.
We are sharing this story because it shows how fragile life on the streets is. For people sleeping outside, there is no safety net. Everything you have can disappear in a single night — through fire, violence, or sheer bad luck.
In these circumstances, a Sheltersuit can be a lifeline. That is why the Sheltersuit Foundation exists, and why it is vital that outreach teams have this protection available.
Look out for one another
Look out for each other. See what local organizations are doing to support people without a safe place to sleep, and help where you can. There is always something you can do — no matter how small.
Do you want to help protect people who are forced to sleep outside?
Support the Sheltersuit Foundation and help us provide warmth and dignity where it is needed most.
