A place to fund?
When we share our good and goods, we sure feel good.
Doesn't that sound great?
Treasure House depends solely on gifts and financial funding from people and organizations. Because we want this place to exist as a gift to others, the people who work for Treasure House don't make any money out of it, nor does Treasure House itself make any profit. Anything that comes in is invested directly into Treasure House itself. If you are interested in helping us out with a (financial) gift, you can donate to us. Or you can get in touch with us if you like a more personal approach. See our Info-page. Gifts to Treasure House are tax-refundable because it has an ANBI status.
because we all grow up
We ask:
- Would you be willing to pray for us and receive an e-mail update on a regular basis?
- Would you like to support Treasure House financially? Currently we mainly support ourselves using our own money and we are looking for people who would be willing to support us financially on a regular basis. We are an ANBI, so all gifts are tax deductible.
- Would you like to work together on small repairs in Treasure House?
- Are there people in your own network who could add something to Treasure House? Can you help us to broaden our network?
- Are you creative or musical? Do you like cooking or do you have other talents that you would be willing to put to good use for Treasure House?
We offer:
- A chance to build your experience and broaden your horizons
- Give expression to your Christian beliefs, a chance to get involved
- The opportunity to make contact with people who live on the edge of society, for example to work with us on Sunday regularly or just every now and again.
- Supervision of a social work internship or work experience project
- A space (for a small contribution). Are you a person, or do you know someone, who shares the goals of Treasure House? We still have open slots.
Become a friend of Treasure House, pray with us, support us financially, follow us on Facebook and join in, to give people new hope and a new future!
WHAT IS TREASURE HOUSE?
On the edge of the red light district of Amsterdam, where sex, drugs and violence set the tone, we offer a safe haven: the Treasure House. People, from all walks of life, who care about street people, prostitutes and drug addicts are using the space to provide a warm welcome, a safe haven, a place to come together and act as a base for outreach and creative projects. The people in the Treasure House are the real treasures in the house.
HOW DID IT ALL START?
Back in 2005, we were a small group of people who walked regularly through the red light district, to talk to people. We wanted a calm place, where people could feel at home, relax, away from the street, so that they could have more personal conversations. Over the years, our visitors tell us that the Treasure House has become just such a safe place.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We're the tenants and keepers of the Treasure House, who organize a walk-in session every Sunday and provide a space for others to work and hold meetings.
SUNDAYS IN TREASURE HOUSE
Every Sunday we cater for a good, comfortable, homely atmosphere, in which street people, neighborhood people and others can take off their shields and be themselves. Everyone is welcome. We talk to each other, play games, watch a film, laugh out loud about the amazing sense of humor of some, eat and drink something. We have lively discussions, very often about how we experience life with or without God. We're very happy that people open up and share more and more with each other. For some this may seem very ordinary, but this is not so for people who have been damaged like this.
Who are 'street people?' Nearly all the people who walk in on a Sunday have suffered physical and/or emotional neglect or abuse as a child. With parents who were physically ill, addicted or simply just not around. They didn't have a safe home and help during their formative years wasn't available or came too late. Very often they grew up in homes or were left to their own devices. That is why they ended up on the street, where they wrestle with serious addictions, physical disease, loneliness, depression and rejection by society. They have no contact with their family, no network. Treasure House is a safe place for these people; they dare to open themselves up again, for others and for God.
WHY IS THE SUNDAY IN THE TREASURE HOUSE UNIQUE?
Treasure House has become the people's own place, and so they can do a lot of things themselves, such as make a pot of coffee, make sandwiches, wash up, take things from the fridge: all these things are unthinkable in other place they go to. This gives them back their autonomy, makes the Treasure House their own and teaches them to take responsibility. We need only very few rules, as our starting point is respect for each other. We all embrace this. Treasure House is financed by ourselves and a couple of sponsors. We don't use government subsidies, as this would limit us in the work we do.