Caritas strengthens its team for the fight against poverty and homelessness.
The problem worsens in the corona crisis.
Erding / Dorfen
- With two other employees, Caritas is increasingly taking action against poverty and homelessness in the district.
In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs has approved a position to prevent homelessness, which Brigitte Fischer has held since the beginning of the year.
"The housing shortage in the district is catastrophic," reports the 41-year-old, who has been working in Caritas' social counseling since November 2012.
"Corona is making the downward spiral even faster."
Florian Attenberger (34) is one of the newcomers to the team. The Dorfener has worked in youth welfare for many years. The social worker is annoyed when the term “highly problematic clientele” is used: “That sounds like assigning blame. But they are all people in a variety of problem areas. "
Many clients who seek help from Caritas have lost their homes and live in confined spaces in emergency shelters. There are many reasons. Fischer tells of single mothers, of mentally ill or alcoholics, and of older people for whom the pension is insufficient and who are ashamed. "These are all fates, the problematic is dealing with the disadvantaged," says the woman from the village. Most of them would be housed in barracks. “That's not a nice place to live.” 37 homeless people are currently living in the emergency shelters in Erding, the city said on request. In addition, there are 28 families in the simplest apartments on Sportfeldstrasse.
"Affordable living space is hard to find in Erding or Dorfen," says Fischer.
Anyone who already has Schufa entries or is dependent on Hartz-IV will fall by the wayside.
“If there are unexpected expenses, the rent is often juggled.
The limit of shame is exceeded, those affected get help too late, ”she explains.
The longstanding debt advisor at Caritas, Ralf Lohrberg (60), has switched to the employee representation in Munich.
Instead of him, Melanie Schmerbeck (28) from Taufkirchen takes on debt prevention in schools.
Dakhaz Hussein (34), who looks after the refugees in the Lindum accommodation, is also part of the Caritas team.
One thing is important to all social workers: "We have to keep in touch so that those affected don't slip away," says Fischer, also with regard to the pandemic.
MICHAELE HESKE
