De Kloof

Help and a chat
Even though sleeping in the Vondelpark is now forbidden, the flow of young people to Amsterdam resumes in the summer of 1975. The newly established De Regenboog foundation was prepared for this. The number of addicts in Amsterdam was estimated at five thousand, knowing that by the end of the summer there would be more. During the day, volunteers travel into the city and the Vondelpark in groups of two to talk to young people. They refer to medical or other help, mediate employment, provide food or a place to sleep. Sometimes they just have a chat about the weather, but also hold conversations about faith and lifestyle. In the evenings, the young people can go to coffee bar Speak Easy, now in the basement - the "Crypt" - of the Vincentian House on Kloveniersburgwal. It is still full there every night. All these special Summer Youth Projects are also organized with volunteers in the summers that follow, for a total of twenty-six consecutive years.

De Kloof: living room and office
The place where all of De Regenboog's Amsterdam activities take place, the Vincentian House, is called De Kloof by everyone. De Kloof is the living room where everyone is welcome. So it is a constant coming and going there, both of people who have problems or want information, and of staff and volunteers. De Kloof is also the workspace of De Regenboog's staff, the place where board meetings take place, where conversations with parents and family members of drug users are held and where the administration resides.