Fundación Arsis

Social support in Barcelona

Fundación Arsis is a private nonprofit based in Barcelona. It was founded in 2002 in the Raval neighborhood of Badalona and has worked in Barcelona's Sant Martí district since 2010. Its work centers on poverty, employment, and support for families and children, in partnership with the Parish of San Félix Africano.

Projects and services

• Humanitarian project: Open to people at risk of or experiencing social exclusion. It provides food, hygiene products, and legal and employment guidance to about 120 families. Its community dining room serves a hot meal each weekday to 50 people, many of them experiencing homelessness.
• Crea tu Futuro employment program: Job-search support, particularly for young people and women in vulnerable situations. Services include guidance, individualized plans, coaching, and training, along with a network of partner businesses and connections to other organizations. Fundación Ibercaja and La Caixa's social foundation provide financial support. The project aims to help 100 people find work. In the previous program year, it served 129 people, about 35 of whom found jobs.
• Micobooks partnership: A solidarity-economy initiative that lets people sell books they no longer use. Micobooks picks them up from homes at no charge and creates a charity bookstore; proceeds support Arsis's social work. Books must be in good condition, with a minimum of 20 books.

Transparency

The foundation publishes its bylaws and annual reports, including financial statements, for recent years in Spanish and Catalan.

Team

The team is led by Joaquín Iglesias, founder and director of the humanitarian project and volunteer coordinator, and Montse de Paz, cofounder and coordinator of the employment project, administration, communications, and fundraising. Other team members include Rosario Sánchez Gil, trustee and international cooperation project lead; Karina Rodríguez, humanitarian project coordinator; Ana Martínez, digital communications and social media; and Olga Ayllón, cleaning and maintenance.

Location and contact

Address: 29 Calle Sardenya, at the corner of Ramon Turró, 08005 Barcelona. Phone: 93 250 98 85 and 609 36 88 80. Management emails: montse@arsis.org and jiglesias@arsis.org.