Starving families: emergency aid from the Red Cross urgently needed!

Starving families: emergency aid from the Red Cross urgently needed!

The challenges in the social sector are becoming increasingly pressing: In Austria, more and more people are struggling with poverty, and the demand for food from social institutions is increasing rapidly. Current figures from the Red Cross show that 2,900 purchases are recorded weekly at the 35 distribution points alone noe.ORF.at reported. The spokeswoman for the Red Cross of Lower Austria, Sonja Kellner, emphasizes the urgency of food donations, which are becoming increasingly rare due to declining surpluses from supermarkets. This has a direct impact on those in need who rely on these donations.

Increasing requests, decreasing help

The decline in food donations is also reflected in the “Soo gut” social markets, where purchases have also increased, according to Ursula Oswald from “Soo gut”. Fresh products and hygiene products are particularly in demand. Caritas emphasizes that every donation, no matter how small, can make a difference. At the same time, the Red Cross reports a stable number of volunteers who provided over 2.4 million hours of unpaid work in 2023. This shows the enormous impact of the organization on society, as around 2,773 people are cared for in the emergency services every day Roteskreuz.at.

Nevertheless, the helpers also have to deal with the increasing number of people in need. The Team Austria Tafel has identified a 17 percent increase in distributions for 2023, which is due to inflation and the high cost of living. Psycho-social support services are also becoming increasingly important, as the Red Cross offers innovative courses such as “Psychological First Aid” to support people in crisis situations. The aim is not only to distribute food, but also to strengthen society as a whole and to support people in acute emergencies.