On Wednesday evening, January 14, 2026, two life-saving initiatives come together in Frankfurt’s Bahnhofsviertel. The Johanniter-Pflasterlaster and the Sheltersuit Foundation take to the streets side by side, exactly where the need is greatest. Frankfurt is a city of contrasts: while wealth and economic activity never seem to sleep, life in the Bahnhofsviertel unfolds at night on sidewalks and beneath bridges. There, help quite literally means the difference between freezing or staying warm, between being seen or disappearing into the anonymity of the street.
Street outreach when every minute counts
In Frankfurt (Main), an estimated 200 to 400 people live permanently on the streets. Without a roof over their heads, without protection from rain, wind and winter cold. As temperatures drop, the night is no longer a time for rest, but a struggle for survival.
The Johanniter-Pflasterlaster — a converted ambulance serving as a mobile clinic — brings medical care directly to these individuals. Low-threshold, humane and without judgment. Wounds are treated, infections addressed and pain relieved. Thanks to the support of the Johanniter-Hilfsgemeinschaft, Sheltersuits can also be distributed during these winter outreach rounds — carefully matched to size and need, exactly when protection is most urgently required.
Protection against cold can save lives
The Sheltersuit is a wind- and waterproof parka with an integrated sleeping bag. Designed to retain body heat and protect against wet conditions. For someone living on the streets, it is not a luxury, but a necessity. It offers immediate protection against hypothermia and frostbite — especially in winter, when every night carries risk.
On this outreach evening, Sheltersuit founder Bas Timmer is also present. He witnesses firsthand how his design is used on the streets and what happens when medical care is combined with protection from the cold. Two forms of support that are far stronger together than on their own.
One evening, immediate impact
That Wednesday evening, more than fifteen people receive medical care. Treatments range from minor injuries to severe wounds on legs and arms. Many individuals are severely hypothermic, sometimes without sufficient clothing to keep their bodies warm.
It is in these moments that the Sheltersuit makes a difference. On the spot, the team assesses which size and type is needed so someone can get through the night warmer and safer. A simple gesture — but direct help at the moment it matters most.
Since we started using the Sheltersuits, we’ve had a powerful tool to help people more effectively. Alongside medical care, we were also able to provide warmth that evening. That’s what makes this work so meaningful.
Warmth also means dignity
For Oliver Pitsch and his team, the combination of medical care and Sheltersuits is invaluable. Every day, they encounter people who are severely hypothermic, sometimes without even a T-shirt or sweater. Thanks to the Sheltersuits, they can not only treat wounds, but also offer protection from the cold.
According to Pitsch, the suits are a major asset to the Pflasterlaster’s work: practical, effective and above all humane. They provide not just warmth, but also a sense of being seen — something that is often missing on the streets.
Stronger together within the Johanniter family
The distribution of Sheltersuits in Frankfurt is made possible by the Johanniter-Hilfsgemeinschaft and coordinated locally by Hans von Maltzahn, Chairman of the Johanniter-Hilfsgemeinschaft Frankfurt. The collaboration with the Pflasterlaster demonstrates what can be achieved when people and organizations unite around a shared goal.
Volunteers, healthcare professionals and aid organizations work side by side, guided by one conviction: no one should be left out in the cold. This winter, one thousand Sheltersuits are being distributed across Germany, one hundred of them in Frankfurt — all made from upcycled materials in a social workshop in the Netherlands, by people with lived experience of displacement or homelessness.
Help make a difference this winter in Frankfurt
With your support, we can continue to produce and distribute Sheltersuits to people living on the streets — especially when cold weather becomes life-threatening. By donating or sharing this story, you help bring medical care and warmth to places where few still look. Together, we can ensure that more people face a warmer, safer night. Because real help sometimes starts with something as simple as a zipper.
