Store Window Stickers Show Paris's Homeless Where to Find Help

Many homeless people rely on the kindness of local businesses when they need a phone, a restroom, or just a glass of water. While some stores are happy to provide these services to those who need them, others are not as welcoming. The Le Carillon project, as reported by City Lab, is making it easier for Paris's homeless population to know where to turn by distributing stickers in the 11th arrondissement that indicate what services are offered at various establishments.

The initiative was launched by Parisian Louis-Xavier Leca last November, and so far about 70 small businesses have gotten involved. Participating stores can choose from a variety of stickers to display based on what resources they are comfortable providing. Pictographs let homeless citizens know if a store is a safe place to go to charge their phones, heat food, send letters for free, or find a first aid kit, in addition to a variety of other forms of assistance.

The project is focused on Paris at the moment, but over 100 cities around the country have already reached out to Leca looking to take part. He plans to expand Le Carillon to five more districts in Paris, five other cities in France, and possibly London and Belgium. The long-term goal is to introduce the initiative in the United States, where more than half a million citizens currently struggle with homelessness.

[h/t City Lab]

All images courtesy of Facebook.