Tafeln in the Tölzer Land need helping hands, interpreters and donations

Created: 05/17/2022, 19:00

By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz

The boards in the district need support.

© Felix Kästle

More and more people in the Tölzer Land need the "Tafeln" in order to be able to provide themselves with sufficient food.

But now the volunteers themselves need help.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen

- The situation of the "Tafeln" in the southern district is still tense due to the constant influx of war refugees from Ukraine (we reported).

The spokespersons for the Bad Tölz, Lenggries and Loisachtal food banks – the sponsor is the BRK – drew attention to their situation in a press conference – and they pointed out how you can help.

319 - that was the highest number of pick-ups that Marianne Huschka (Tölz) registered on one of the last Saturdays.

Before the war, around 90 people came to pick up donated food.

In Lenggries, the number has doubled to 50 to 60 customers, Birgitta Opitz explained.

According to Thomas Schneider, the Loisachtal food bank, which sells the goods in Kochel, went "from 30 to 70".

“The situation is difficult for the helpers.

They are at the limit of resilience,” said Helmut Kulla, deputy BRK managing director.

Of course, there was also an increase in people picking people up during the 2015/16 refugee crisis.

"But things didn't go so quickly.

The pace is fierce now.”

Lenggries and Bad Tölz have increased the number of helpers on the distribution days.

For example, more than 20 volunteers work in Bad Tölz on Saturdays.

It is positive that more than a dozen new helpers have come forward after a newspaper appeal, says spokesman Reinhold Pohle.

Small panels under 'incredible pressure'

The boards are supported by many supermarkets, bakeries and other shops where unsold goods can be picked up.

However, of course, the crowd "remained at the same level" as before the wave of refugees, said Kulla.

In view of the increased raw material prices, Huschka also fears that the quantity will tend to decrease in the future.

The helpers look forward to this with concern.

"Because the background of fear for every volunteer is that people are queuing at the table and you can't give anything away," says Kulla.

For smaller panels in particular, it is "already an unbelievable pressure," adds Opitz.

"We keep counting what we have left."

However, one should never forget the basic idea behind the “Tafeln” notes Kulla.

The aim was and is to keep good food that can no longer be sold from the bin and to distribute it to financially weaker people.

But that was always only intended as an additional offer, which leaves the collector with a little more money elsewhere.

The "Tafel" would not offer full supply.

However, some of the new customers do not know this and therefore come to the issue dates with false expectations.

“It would be good if the groups of helpers or the host families could explain what the food banks can do” – and what they cannot, says Kulla.

Helping hands and food donations are gladly accepted

And what is the best way to support the work of the volunteers?

We are looking for "helping hands" and also interpreters who speak Ukrainian and/or Russian.

Food donations are also gladly accepted.

"At the moment we are already receiving food donations from many private individuals, and we are very grateful for that," says Pohle.

Durable items are popular, but crates of carrots, apples and other fruit and vegetables are also welcome.

Donations can be brought to the Südschule in Bad Tölz on Saturdays from around 9 a.m.

The Tafel managers Reinhold Pohle and Dagmar Karl can be reached on 0 80 41/7 93 52 21. In Lenggries you can arrange donations with Birgitta Opitz (0 80 42/52 11), in the Loisachtal with Thomas Schneider (0 88 57/ 12 95).

Monetary donations are also possible - via the account of the BRK district association: IBAN DE18 7005 4306 0000 0280 01. The name of the board must be given in the purpose of the donation.

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