According to the statistics on 01.01.2003 the population of Nizhny Novgorod comes to 1 343 121 people; 40 % of Nizhny Novgorod inhabitants belong to socially vulnerable population categories and have a right to get different kinds of public assistance.
There is a network of social institutions in Nizhny Novgorod rendering of public assistance and support to its residents. They are the following:

Department of labour and social protection of the population
(Nizhny Novgorod City Administration )

The major task of the department is to carry out the integrated state policy in the sphere of social protection of the population and social and labour relations, including preplanning and realization of the city programs on invalids, veterans, families, women and children social support; working population social assistance concerning labour conditions and protection questions; organizational and methodical supervision of the district departments of social assistance; development of the city social institutions network.

The Social and Labour Rehabilitation Center

The center works with the unemployed and homeless men. It grants night quarters and two meals a day to them, renders before-doctor assistance, helps in getting a job and settling life, executing documents and registering in the center of the city for a 3-months time-period, etc.; the center renders urgent public assistance (in the form of foodstuff, free of charge meals coupons, clothes) to the poor as well.

The Veterans' House of Nizhny Novgorod

The Veterans' House was inaugurated in April 2000 on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Victory Day. The address assistance to veterans, their leisure arrangement and granting discounts to veterans (established by federal and regional legislation and city standard acts) control are carried out on the basis of the Veterans' House.

District Departments of social protection of Nizhny Novgorod population

There is a Department of population social protection in each of the 8 district Administrations of Nizhny Novgorod.
Their major task is to realize federal, regional, city and district programs on social support of the population, including timely and complete all levels compensation and benefit payments, rendering of guaranteed benefits, address welfare, public, medical-social, legal, psychological and social-rehabilitation assistance, etc..
About 6 000 citizens of Nizhny Novgorod are being attended at their homes by social workers; 600 of the city inhabitants are being taken medical-social care of.

Social-rehabilitation Centers for Under-ages in Nizhny Novgorod

There are 6 Centers for 266 under-ages functioning in Nizhny Novgorod. The centers work with infants got into trouble: without parental custody, unparented, lost, etc.. The centers provide minors with accommodation, food, clothes; render medical, psychological, pedagogical assistance and a complex of social amenities. All children of the school age have studies there. Children of the preschool age get a full-value preschool education, take an essential correction course and go through pre-school procedures. The workers of the centers stand up for their wards' interests and social rights.

Municipal Centers of Social Service

There are municipal centers of social care (MC) in six districts of Nizhny Novgorod. These centers organize and realize urgent public assistance; give social, medical-social and everyday assistance at home; render services at a reduced price; arrange leisure- and rest-time, medical and social rehabilitation of citizens of socially vulnerable population categories (pensioners and invalids above all). Every day 190 pensioners and invalids of Nizhny Novgorod take a rest on the basis of the municipal centers daytime stay departments.
Health activities for children from socially vulnerable families and families of moderate means are carried out during school holidays on the basis of the municipal centers.

Family and Children Social Assistance Center "Zhuravushka"

Family and children social assistance center "Zhuravushka" functions in the Soviet district of Nizhny Novgorod.
The center is meant for a complex of service activities for multi-children, one-parent and under-age parents families; families of moderate means or unfavourable psychological atmosphere; for children and teenagers who got into the family conditions threatening their health and development; for children and teenagers whose parents neglect their parental duties, lead immoral and parasitical way of living; for children and teenagers whose parents are incapable of taking care of them because of some illness or disability.

Public Nutrition Centre "Kharavaikha"

The nutrition centre grants hot meals to citizens of socially vulnerable population categories (poor inhabitants, members of multi-children families, invalids and pensioners). There are regular holiday actions on a district and city scale arranged in "Kharavaikha".

Local Authority of Pension and Benefit Payment "Grivna"

The authority ensures: pension, benefit and postal order domiciliary deliveries to pensioners living in the Prioksky district; pension, benefit, postal order and ritual benefit payments at the district enterprises; advisory activities concerning social welfare points; consideration and disposition of living in this district pensioners' applications and complaints.

Local Authority of Concern for Pensioners and Invalids "Myza"

This local authority of social service grants accommodation to single pensioners and invalids able to take care of themselves (completely or partly), and to married couples of this category as well - instead of the earlier occupied housing. The latter is carried over to the public property. "Myza" helps these people to self-fulfil taking into account their wishes.