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Christmas of charity: Red Cross helps 1.5 million people in need!
1.5 million people in Austria are at risk of poverty: Red Cross distributes 5,000 Christmas packages for those in need during Advent.
Christmas of charity: Red Cross helps 1.5 million people in need!
In Austria, many families are faced with the challenge of experiencing Christmas without any presents during Advent. A shocking 1.5 million people are at risk of poverty and 330,000 live in outright poverty. Children who have to forgo the joy of gifts and are often socially isolated are particularly affected, as the Austrian Red Cross reports. To help these families, a total of 5,000 special Christmas packages will be distributed this year, containing not only basic groceries such as pasta and jam, but also hygiene products and small surprises for the children.
Little joys in Advent
The Christmas packages transform hard-fought everyday moments into rays of hope. They are distributed via the 125 distribution points of Team Austria Tafel, a Red Cross project in collaboration with Hitradio Ö3. These points are an important contact point for 470,000 people per year, who can regularly pick up food and other essential goods here free of charge. Michael Opriesnig, General Secretary of the Red Cross, explains: "Poverty not only robs people of their economic resources, but also of the prospect of a fulfilling life. The Christmas packages are intended to give people back some of the joy of life and make children's eyes shine."
The packages are valuable support for families who often do not know how to cover the costs of meals or heating material. Even if the material value is not high, these small gifts can have a big symbolic impact during the Christmas season. By issuing these packages, the Red Cross shows that solidarity and compassion count, especially in difficult times. This is also reported by OTS, for example, which points to the initiative of the Team Austria Tafel and underlines the need for such aid campaigns in our society.
With more than 5,500 tons of food saved and distributed every year by Team Austria Tafel, it shows how important such aid programs are. Around 26,000 households are currently registered and receive support from more than 6,000 volunteers. Again, the value of community working together to help those in need is evident.