The biggest concerns of the refugee helpers

Created: 04/20/2022, 10:35 am

"Together we can do it": That's what Gröbenzell's mayor Martin Schäfer (l.) promised in the well-attended hall of the community center.

© Peter Weber

The refugee crisis is also a major challenge for local authorities.

The mammoth task only seems achievable if government and voluntary support work together.

The Gröbenzell refugee helpers now had the opportunity to voice their concerns.

Gröbenzell – Eva-Maria Heerde-Hinojosa, head of the Gröbenzell Asylum Working Group, had an urgent appeal at the meeting in the community center.

She warned not to forget the first-generation refugees, who often felt like second-class refugees.

You would get neither Hartz IV nor free travel on the S-Bahn.

From June 1st, refugees from the Ukraine will be classified under Hartz IV.

For comparison: a single adult gets 446 euros per month, an asylum seeker 82 euros less.

As Heerde-Hinojosa reported, there are currently 79 volunteers in Gröbenzell.

They provide support when dealing with authorities, offer German courses, interpreting services, and donations in kind and money.

38 have made housing available.

However, Heerde-Hinojosa is very worried about the long-term housing situation.

Housing is urgently needed.

The head of the Asylum Working Group is convinced that "we all have to expect the Ukrainian guests to be here for a longer period of time".

New instructions every day

City officials also attended the event.

The head of the Aliens Department, Thomas Epp, promised: "We will do everything we can to get the refugee situation under control." And his colleague Dorothee Isenberg reported, among other things, how the amount of the rent payments assumed by the district office for guests from Ukraine was determined will.

The caregivers and refugees found out where they could get support from information boards, and jobs were even listed.

(By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular FFB newsletter.)

"I am convinced that we can do it," promised Mayor Martin Schäfer in the packed hall of the community center.

He had invited caregivers, representatives of clubs and churches, local councils and the next day the refugees from Ukraine himself.

Schäfer emphasized with regard to the admission of the refugees: "It will only work together."

The head of the town hall also reported difficulties that the community and the helpers are struggling with.

Every day there are new instructions on what to do and how.

He therefore also asked for leniency if everything does not work as some would like.

Accommodating Ukrainian children in kindergartens, crèches and schools is often not easy.

The schools are full and not all kindergarten places that are actually available in Gröbenzell can be filled.

There is still a lack of educators.

226 Ukrainians reported in town

On the day of the event (Wednesday, April 13), the community numbered 226 Ukrainians, as well as 27 refugees of other nationalities.

30 of them are under six years old, 40 between six and twelve years old and 26 between 16 and 18 years old.

Most of them are housed privately.

In the entire district, this applies to three quarters of the refugees, added the head of the Asylum Heerde-Hinojosa working group.

For example, Annelie and Kurt Aumeier have already taken in refugees.

They can provide a two-room apartment with a bathroom and its own kitchen.

"We've only had good experiences," says Annelie Aumeier.

Although the guests did not speak German, they were able to communicate using Internet translation via Google.

Even if nonsense kept coming out, which resulted in a lot of laughter.

They had no problems with the district office or the municipality: "The employees were exceptionally hard-working and very nice."

When the Ukrainian guests moved out again after three weeks in order to find accommodation in the Catholic vicarage together with other family members, including a baby born a few days after their arrival in Germany, the farewell was "very tearful".

It is already certain that new refugees will soon be moving in with them.

Jochen Wiehenbrauk and his wife Annette can also report: "It works without any problems." The Wiehenbrauks have not yet thought about how long they will offer shelter to the family of three.

"We'll take care of that," he says.

But he also knows that the three would immediately return to Ukraine, but to a country not ruled by Russia.

(sus)

You can find more current news from the district of Fürstenfeldbruck at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.