This article is part of an InfoMigrants series detailing how unhoused migrants can stay safe throughout the winter in Germany's largest cities. The other articles in our series cover Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne.

Did you know that you can suffer frostbite after spending just five minutes outdoors? And that death in the cold can even occur if the temperatures remain above zero?

Given the human body's sensitivity to cold -- as well as hot -- temperatures, it is perhaps no surprise that 30 people in Germany froze to death in 2021, according to Germany's federal statistics office. Homeless people are amongst those most likely to suffer under the cold, including migrants and refugees.

In Germany's second-largest city Hamburg, where some 2,000 people live on the streets each day, those without a permanent roof over their heads can receive support from a variety of services to help them safely get through the winter. Here's a list of some of those services in Hamburg:

• Der Mitternachtsbus (midnight bus): Every evening, this bus visits the sleeping spots of homeless people and provides them with food, drink, clothing and sleeping bags. Run by Caritas, the social welfare organization of Germany's Catholic churches, the bus also provides hot drinks, bread, warm blankets and clothing as well as "human warmth and compassion", according to the website.
• Die Mission, Künstlerische Maßnahmen gegen die Kälte (The mission, artistic measures against the cold) is a day center for the homeless that offers a "cozy atmosphere" with cultural activities like music performances by homeless street performers. Once a day, people can get a free hot meal there.
• Winternotprogramm (winter emergency program) offers a place to sleep for around 700 people from the beginning of November until late March, according to information on its website. The program is limited to providing sleeping spots and does not include meals.
• The Kältebus (cold bus) brings homeless people to accommodations upon request. The organization also runs a drop-in café and offers mobile medical and dental care. Check out their website for more information.
• Deintopf (your pot) provides people in need with a hot meal at lunchtime. The group was set up by a number of restaurant owners in Hamburg, who wanted to help ease the pressure on people in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. The volunteer organization uses food donations from associations, large companies and private individuals to feed Hamburg's unhoused community. You can find more information here.
• Mobile Bullysuppenküche (Mobile soup kitchen in a VW transporter) is a non-profit organization that hands out food to people in the district of St. Pauli as well as clothing and personal hygiene supplies. Laundry, showers and basic emergency care are also part of the services provided by the team, as well as access to gynecological medical services. People without shelter and in poverty can visit the volunteers working at the soup kitchen, who will also lend an ear to listen to any kind of problem. More information is available on their website.
• GoBanyo is a charity that runs mobile showers for homeless people in Hamburg and beyond. In their own words, the organization says: "We dream of everyone having dignified access to sanitary facilities -- preferably in their own bathrooms. Until that happens, we will travel to places where there's a lack of access." You can learn more if you follow this link.
• Bahnhofsmission Hamburg (Hamburg's train station mission) is located inside the city's main station, and often serves the first point of contact for many people in need in Hamburg. It provides a warm space where drinks, clothing and other items are distributed to Hamburg's unhoused, 24/7. For more information, visit their website.
• Tafel Hamburg (Banquet Hamburg) is a food bank that offers free groceries for people in need. It is part of nearly 1,000 similar Tafel organizations across Germany. There's more information on their website.
• The homeless charity of the German Red Cross visits various parts of Hamburg's northeast in a van every Monday and Thursday evening to provide people sleeping rough with essential help. In addition to its general service, the group has become known across Hamburg for making sure that unhoused people don't have to celebrate major holidays alone in the cold -- such as Easter and New Year's Eve. It also provides dedicated help for pets of homeless people, including the provision of animal food and visits at the veterinarian clinic. Here's more information on their services.

There are many more services available to homeless people across Hamburg and its various districts.

For more comprehensive information, you can visit the website of Diakonie Hamburg (the local branch of the social welfare organization run by the association of Germany's Lutheran churches), which provides more information for homeless people including details on advice centers and accommodation projects.

Furthermore, the municipal services of Hamburg also have a comprehensive overview on all services available to unhoused people on their website.