VinziRast-CortiHaus

VinziRast-CortiHaus is an Austrian aid agency and homeless facility operated by the association Vinzenzgemeinschaft St. Stephan in Vienna's 12th district, Meidling. It grew out of an idea presented in 2002 by Father Wolfgang Pucher for a shelter for people who could not find space in other institutions, inspired by the VinziDorf in Graz. Cecily Corti, widow of filmmaker Axel Corti, took over the project, and the association was founded in 2003. A private donation enabled the purchase of the building at Wilhelmstraße 10, and the VinziRast shelter opened on 6 April 2004. It is run by volunteers and financed by private donations. The facility includes an emergency shelter with 48 beds, meals, showers, and overnight accommodation. In addition, 16 apartments provide 29 residential places for formerly homeless people. With support from Hans Peter Haselsteiner, STRABAG, and other Austrian construction companies, the building was expanded from 2007; three floors were converted and two added, creating sixteen small apartments. The renovated house reopened in May 2008 and was renamed VinziRast-CortiHaus. In 2010, a residential community for six formerly homeless people living abstinently after alcohol withdrawal or therapy opened at Wilhelmstraße 10, supported by addiction researcher Otto Lesch. In 2013, the VinziRast-mittendrin house opened in Währinger Straße in the 9th district, where formerly homeless people live in shared flats with students, and the ground floor houses the restaurant Mittendrin. Today the VinziRast umbrella covers several facilities: the VinziRast-Notschlafstelle emergency shelter, the VinziRast-CortiHaus, the VinziRast-mittendrin social housing project, the VinziRast-Chance day structure for asylum seekers, the VinziRast-Lokal mittendrin restaurant, and VinziRast am Land. The organisation is led by Veronika Kerres as chair of the association and site manager for 1120 Vienna, with Robert Korbei as managing director and site manager for Mayerling, and Elena Osenstetter as site manager for 1090 Vienna. Its work is guided by respect and humanity, and it relies on donations, volunteers, and public engagement such as the annual Walk4VinziRast.

The origins of VinziRast-CortiHaus lie in an idea presented in 2002 by Father Wolfgang Pucher for a night shelter for people who, for various reasons, could not find accommodation in other institutions, such as foreigners. The model was the VinziDorf in Graz, started in 1993 by the Vinzenzgemeinschaft Eggenberg using construction containers and residential modules at the Graz Vinzenz Church. Cecily Corti, widow of filmmaker Axel Corti, took over the leadership of the project. In 2003, the association Vinzenzgemeinschaft St. Stephan was founded. A private donation made it possible to purchase the house at Wilhelmstraße 10 in Vienna-Meidling. The VinziRast shelter opened on 6 April 2004, run by volunteers and financed by private donations. With support from Hans Peter Haselsteiner, STRABAG, and other Austrian construction companies, the building was expanded from 2007. Three floors were converted and two floors added, creating sixteen small apartments. The basement and reception were renovated, and the emergency shelter received a new kitchen and common rooms. In May 2008, the renovated house reopened and was renamed VinziRast-CortiHaus in recognition of the expansion. In 2008, Cecily Corti was awarded the Knight's Cross of the French Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur), and in 2010 she received the Golden Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria. On 1 June 2010, the VinziRast-CortiHaus residential community opened at Wilhelmstraße 10, where six formerly homeless people live abstinently after alcohol withdrawal or therapy. They are supported by volunteers and medically/therapeutically by addiction researcher Otto Lesch. In 2013, the VinziRast-mittendrin house opened on Währinger Straße in Vienna's 9th district. Its special feature is that formerly homeless people live in shared flats with students, and the ground floor houses the restaurant Mittendrin. The organisation has continued to grow, adding VinziRast-Chance, a day structure for people in asylum procedures with German lessons and activities in sewing, creative, or wood workshops, as well as a warm lunch and a monthly public transport ticket. The VinziRast-Lokal mittendrin combines excellent cuisine and hospitality with a social goal, providing permanent employment for formerly homeless people. VinziRast am Land extends the work to rural areas. The umbrella organisation remains the association Vinzenzgemeinschaft St. Stephan, and operations are led by a team including Veronika Kerres, Robert Korbei, and Elena Osenstetter.

• 2013

  VinziRast-mittendrin opens on Währinger Straße in the 9th district, with the Mittendrin restaurant on the ground floor.

• 2010

  VinziRast-CortiHaus residential community opens on 1 June.

• 2010

  Cecily Corti receives the Golden Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.

• 2008

  Renovated house reopens in May and is renamed VinziRast-CortiHaus.

• 2008

  Cecily Corti awarded the Knight's Cross of the French Legion of Honour.

• 2007

  Expansion and conversion begin with support from Hans Peter Haselsteiner, STRABAG, and others.

• 2004

  VinziRast shelter opens on 6 April at Wilhelmstraße 10, Vienna-Meidling.

• 2003

  Association Vinzenzgemeinschaft St. Stephan founded; Cecily Corti takes over project leadership.

• 2002

  Father Wolfgang Pucher presents the idea of a night shelter, the 'VinziDorf Wien'.

A volunteer-run, donation-financed charity providing shelter, housing, and social integration for homeless and disadvantaged people in Vienna.

• VinziRast-Notschlafstelle

  Emergency night shelter with 48 beds, meals, showers, and overnight accommodation.

• VinziRast-CortiHaus

  Residential facility with 16 apartments providing 29 places for formerly homeless people.

• VinziRast-mittendrin

  Social housing project where formerly homeless people, refugees, and students live together.

• VinziRast-Lokal mittendrin

  Restaurant combining excellent cuisine with a social mission, employing formerly homeless people.

• VinziRast-Chance

  Day structure for asylum seekers with German lessons, workshops, lunch, and transport ticket.

1. 1VinziRast official websitevinzirast.at
2. 2VinziRast Leitbildvinzirast.at
3. 3VinziRast Werbespotvinzirast.at
4. 4VinziRast Unser Teamvinzirast.at
5. 5Wikidata: VinziRast-CortiHauswikidata.org
6. 6Wikipedia (German): VinziRast-CortiHausde.wikipedia.org