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VIENNA, Oct. 15, 2026 – With temperatures falling and winter approaching, Vienna-based charity MUT has launched an urgent appeal for donations of sleeping bags and sleeping mats to support homeless people facing the cold months ahead.
The organization will begin its twelfth season of weekly winter outreach tours on Oct. 14, 2026, providing essential supplies to people living on the streets. The program, known as YWC! outreach tours, is scheduled to continue through April 2027.
During the weekly visits, volunteers distribute winter clothing, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, hygiene kits and other necessities to homeless individuals across Vienna.
According to Jasna Saric, head of emergency and homelessness assistance at MUT, sleeping bags and sleeping mats are among the most urgently needed items.
“Right now, it is especially important that people living on the streets have the basic equipment they need for the increasingly cold nights. A sleeping bag and a sleeping mat are essential for that,” Saric said.
The charity is calling on Vienna residents to donate sleeping bags and mats that are still in good condition.
Where to Donate
Donations can be delivered directly to MUT’s association center without prior registration.
Donation details:
- Address: Rechte Wienzeile 37, 2nd Courtyard, Vienna
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Needed items: Sleeping bags and sleeping mats in good condition
- Registration: Not required
In addition to sleeping bags and mats, MUT is seeking a range of winter supplies, particularly clothing and equipment for men. The organization is looking for thermal underwear, warm socks, waterproof winter shoes, thermal insoles, winter jackets, trousers, sweaters, hoodies and long-sleeved shirts.
Other requested items include thermos flasks, backpacks without metal reinforcement and lightweight blankets that can be easily transported.
The charity asks donors not to provide winter jackets made from fur, leather or wool. Duvets are also not needed.
Hundreds of Sleeping Bags Distributed Last Winter
Figures from the 2025/2026 winter season highlight the scale of the charity’s work. During 27 outreach tours, MUT distributed 400 sleeping bags, 400 sleeping mats and 450 hygiene kits.
Homeless individuals also received 50 backpacks and around 4,000 kilograms of donated clothing, shoes, blankets and other supplies. Volunteers additionally handed out hygiene products, instant soups, canned food and Christmas gifts.
Alternative Ways to Help
People who wish to support the winter aid program can also contribute through MUT’s “Warm Package Sponsorship” initiative, which helps fund assistance for homeless individuals during the cold season.
The charity’s outreach activities are not limited to Vienna. Following the introduction of the program in Salzburg during the previous winter, MUT has resumed weekly support tours there as well.
Founded in 2005, MUT operates in Vienna and Salzburg, providing homelessness assistance, family support services, crisis accommodation and food rescue and distribution programs. In Salzburg, the organization also runs Haus LebensMUT, which offers accommodation to people affected by homelessness.
According to the association, its work is funded primarily through donations and membership fees and is supported by more than 35,000 members.
As winter conditions begin to set in, MUT is urging residents to donate sleeping bags and sleeping mats to help ensure that some of Vienna’s most vulnerable people have protection from the cold in the months ahead.
- source: vienna.at/picture: verein-muth.at
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