Stockholm with digital billboards guiding homeless people to the nearest shelter

The billboards have been cleverly programmed to automatically swap advertisements with directions to shelters when temperatures get -7 degrees Celsius or below

The Swedish digital kiosk normally displays ads targeting consumers. But when temperatures hit -7 degrees Celsius or below, it provides crucial info to homeless people in need of emergency shelter. When the temperature is higher, information is instead displayed on how people can donate their time or useful items such as blankets and food. This way, the initiative also helps to raise awareness and increase the reach of the project.

The 53 existing billboards are located in areas most known as gathering spots of the city’s homeless. The special cold-weather messages provide clear directions to nearby open shelters and other emergency services operated by churches and nonprofit groups in conjunction with the city's welfare services department. If the pilot scheme proves successful, such digital billboards could appear in other cities in and outside Sweden.  

Tell us how your city helps homeless people during the winter? Write to us at office@themayor.eu and we will spread the word.

Source: mnn.com