The corona crisis is also causing financial difficulties for people in the Würmtal valley. The support association Martinsrieder Christkindlmarkt sees an increase in those looking for help, with falling income. The togetherness e. V. is in a comparatively comfortable situation.
Würmtal - When the association Martinsrieder Christkindlmarkt distributed money for social purposes for the first time in 1981, this was 3,800 euros. Today he spends around 70,000 euros a year to provide old people with food on wheels a warm meal once a day, for electricity, rent or medication. He pays the costs of a stay at a school campus for children whose families cannot cope with it and finances tickets. “This year the demand could be over 70,000 euros. But if we don't have any money, we can't spend anything, ”says Elfriede Kalkühler, founding member of the Christkindlmarkt. In recent years, between 6,000 and 7,000 euros were generally gone by the end of May. "We are now at 12,000," said Kalkühler.
There are 600 to 650 family contacts a year. "It will surely be more this year." The majority of the new help seekers either receive short-time work, which is barely enough, or have lost their 450-euro job due to corona and have no prospect of government aid. "You can feel that very strongly."
Mostly donations
The net profit of the Christmas market, which gave the club its name, no longer accounts for the majority of the income. Kalkühler speaks of "in good years 11,000 to 12,000 euros". There are also events such as benefit concerts. At the beginning of October the band "teachers have free time" should appear. The event was canceled. "We have few opportunities to get public attention," says club chairman Bernhard Detsch.
The main source of income are donations from companies and private individuals. Detsch fears that the corona crisis "may have a long-term effect on willingness to donate". Kalkühler is already stating: "The donations have decreased a bit." It can only be quantified at the end of the year, because experience shows that most donations are received in the last quarter, in the run-up to Christmas. In order to be able to help further, the association "approached donors much earlier than usual this year," said Kalkühler. Thanks to the "A Heart for Helpers" campaign by Sparda-Bank Munich, food vouchers could now be ordered from Rewe and Edeka.
The Association Together was founded in 2004 with the aim of maintaining the full deacon position of the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Graefelfing. The state church had cut this by 50 percent in 2003. Together they organize a duck race once a year on the Würm and in spring and autumn a Ü30 party in the Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Haus in Martinsried. The income is used to finance the deacon's office. This was vacant between July 2018 and May 2020. In the meantime Stefanie Hollitzer has taken over the duties of the youth deacon.
Miteinander eV is looking for a new project
In the almost two-year break, the events of togetherness continued, the money was put back, as well as the donations that were received. A five-digit amount has accumulated, according to Rebecca Baur from the association's board. Since Hollitzer did not want a full-time position for family reasons, she works 26 hours a week. Together, they do not take over 50 percent of the salary, only what is over half a position. "This is a relief," says Baur in view of the fact that the duck race that was actually planned on July 4th must be as canceled as the Ü30 party in spring. Because enough of the accumulated money remains because of Hollitzer's part-time job, Together is looking for a permanent project to promote youth, on site in the Würmtal and across denominations. "We would like to spend more money," says Baur. In addition, considerations are ongoing as to how “an action with ducks” can run despite the corona pandemic.