Abstract Aim: To present the work of professionals and volunteers of the local help network that revolves around trying to help the homeless and to stimulate readers to critically assess the possible methods aimed towards the successful integration of those people into society. Methods: In the city of Koper, we visited five governmental (GOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs): Red Cross Koper, Daybreak Association, Center for Social Work Koper, Diocesan Caritas Koper and Koper Prison; and interviewed 3-10 staff members at each organisation. Results: For each organisation, we described its duties and activities, including its interconnection with other organisations, methods of integrating the homeless into the society and the personal thoughts of its staff members. Conclusions: Both GOs and NGOs are necessary for providing effective assistance to people in need. NGOs excel at quickly responding to immediate needs. Their programs are usually implemented only as short-term resolutions. GOs on the other hand require a longer time to implement their concepts. Nonetheless, in contrast to NGO projects, they provide long-term stability. Even though people from remote parts of the society usually cooperate, the efforts of those who work with them are nothing short of exerting. They strive to achieve a general social acceptance of their ward population, which is the one thing those people need the most. Since only the society is truly capable of offering them a firm stepping stone towards escaping from the vicious circle in which they stray. Izvleček Cilj: Predstaviti delo strokovnega osebja in prostovoljcev lokalne mreže pomoči brezdomnim ter spodbuditi bralce h kritičnemu razmišljanju o mogočih načinih reševanja problema vključitve teh ljudi v družbo. Metode: V Kopru smo obiskali pet vladnih in nevladnih organizacij: Rdeči križ Koper, Društvo Svit, Center za socialno delo Koper, Škofijsko Karitas Koper in Zavod za prestajanje kazni zapora Koper; pri vsaki organizaciji smo izvedli intervju z od 3 do 10 strokovnimi sodelavci ali prostovoljci. Rezultati: Za vsako organizacijo smo opisali, katere naloge in dejavnosti opravlja, vključno s tem, kako se povezuje z drugimi organizacijami, kakšni so njeni načini vključitve brezdomnih v družbo ter kakšna so osebna opažanja njenega osebja o dejavnostih organizacije in uspešnosti dela, ki ga opravlja. Zaključki: Vladne in nevladne organizacije so potrebne za učinkovito pomoč ljudem v stiski. Nevladne se odzovejo takoj; njihovi programi so ponavadi uporabljeni le kot kratkotrajne rešitve težav. Vladne organizacije pa se v primerjavi z nevladnimi odzovejo z zamikom; njihovi projekti z dlje časa trajajočim delovanjem ustvarjajo dolgotrajno stabilnost. Kljub sodelovanju ljudi iz obrobja družbe je delo posameznikov, ki z njimi delajo, zelo naporno in izčrpno. Stremijo k temu, da bi ogroženo populacijo družba bolje sprejela, kar je nekaj, kar ti ljudje najbolj potrebujejo. Samo družba je namreč tista, ki jim lahko nudi učinkovit izhod iz začaranega kroga, v katerem blodijo.