When you have nowhere else to turn, go to a shelter – they provide food, lodging, and even a ticket home

Shelters provide food and a place to stay; if you fall ill, they send you to a hospital and help you contact your family. Those who can’t afford a ticket home receive one. Generally, you may stay no longer than 10 days. Entry and departure are completely voluntary – it’s not a detention center, and no cash is handed out. Tickets are issued based on your household registration or current residence, so think carefully about where you want to go before you arrive.

There is no cost. You can go to your local civil affairs bureau or shelter on your own, or ask police or civil affairs officials to take you there. When you enter, you must truthfully provide your name and list any personal belongings. The hard part is mustering the courage to admit that you have no money and nowhere to stay.

Shelters supply food and lodging that meet basic hygiene standards. If you suddenly fall seriously ill while there, they arrange hospital treatment. They also help you reach out to relatives or employers. For those lacking funds to return to their hometown or current residence, they issue a travel voucher – essentially a bus or train ticket. Your “household registration” is your hometown, while “current residence” is wherever you’re living now. The maximum stay is usually 10 days, though extensions are possible if you’re awaiting family pickup, medical care, or other arrangements. Police and other government staff encountering homeless or begging individuals must inform them of this assistance option. Special care is given to disabled persons, minors, the elderly, and anyone with mobility issues – they are guided and escorted to the shelter (nationwide, since 2003).

Entry and departure are entirely voluntary; this is not a detention center. Basic food and lodging are provided, but no cash is given. Travel vouchers are issued based on household registration or current residence – be sure to decide where you want to go before seeking help.

国务院 (2003). 城市生活无着的流浪乞讨人员救助管理办法（国务院令第 381 号，第五、六、七条）. https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2003/content_62246.htm；民政部 (2003). 城市生活无着的流浪乞讨人员救助管理办法实施细则（民政部令第 24 号，第十一、十二条）. https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2003/content_62510.htm