Caritas Erding takes stock once a year and this year comes to a result that is as deplorable as expected: Life on the edge of society is difficult, even under normal conditions - but Corona has made the situation even worse.
Erding
- The work of Caritas was strongly influenced by Corona, said district manager Barbara Gaab at the general meeting, which took place online.
"The pandemic has pushed us all to our limits again and again - the 192 employees and 180 volunteers, but also more people sought help from us." 437.
Caritas is “close to one's neighbor”, according to the slogan.
That is why the employees are also informed exactly where there are gaps in the social network.
Once a year she takes stock and this year comes to a result that is as deplorable as expected: Life on the edge of society is difficult, even under normal conditions - but Corona has made the situation even worse.
Single parents are particularly hard hit
Many people were suddenly affected by short-time working, especially employees in the vicinity of the airport or at the thermal baths.
Parents had to stay at home in lockdown because of their children, there was a lack of laptops and printers.
And once again it hit the single parents particularly hard, because they had to do everything alone, and were often unemployed because childcare could no longer be guaranteed - so the résumé of the past pandemic year.
Social worker Brigitte Fischer spoke of stigmatization, but also of mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders and depression caused by poverty.
If there is a lack of social participation, those affected fall deeper and deeper into the downward spiral of exclusion and shame, explained Fischer.
"Children cannot invite friends because they do not want classmates to see how and where they live." For example in emergency shelters.
The housing shortage in the district continues to increase and with it the risk of homelessness.
Brigitte Fischer, who has held a specialist position for the prevention of homelessness since the beginning of the year, saved 26 families from this situation. It was a "very great success".
Those who become homeless suffer trauma, she said.
The worst thing is when families with children lose their homes.
Help for people with mental illnesses and their relatives
"We are responsible for people with mental illnesses and their relatives," said Alfons Kühnstetter, head of the social psychiatric service, presenting his profession.
The specialist service is divided into a counseling center, the “Prisma” day center as well as therapeutic residential communities and assisted individual living.
"The more serious the illness, the higher the risk of falling out of work processes," he said.
"And that in turn increases the risk of poverty."
It is also difficult for those affected because of their illness to seek help, for example to apply for benefits from public authorities.
And then there are the relatives, often overwhelmed by the situation themselves, who also turn to Caritas.
Dakhaz Hussein (34) talked about his work in Lindum, about the 70 refugees who live in the accommodation and mostly do not have a work permit.
About expired asylum applications, quarantine and children who were left in lockdown at school.
The need is great here too.
Married couple initiates sponsorship campaign "I share with you"
But Gaab also had positive things to say.
Right at the beginning of the lockdown in spring 2020, an elderly couple approached Caritas with an idea for a donation: "Since they and their families are doing well themselves, they would like to share their pension with a single parent or a carer who is in This was the start of the sponsorship campaign “I share with you”.
By December 2020, there were around 20 sponsorships that donated a total of 18,000 euros.
Whether at the Christmas tree campaign in kindergarten, with homework and play groups for children who find little support at home - the cooperation between parishes and Caritas is also an important factor in serving others.
“In the first lockdown in spring 2020, we sent our volunteers an angel card with a small stick-on angel as a companion and encouraging words to encourage them and to show our solidarity with them,” reported Silvia Wild from Community Caritas.
"The many positive reactions have shown us how good it was for people at this time to hear such words and to direct their gaze to the sunny side of life."
Michaele Heske