The need is growing: long waiting list for food distribution
Created: 05/10/2022 05:30
By: Charlotte Borst
Every Friday, helpers from the “Unterschleißheimer Tisch” give out donated food: organizer Eva Wendlinger, Michael Wassilko, Siegfrid Hillmer, Peter Köppke and Peter Krell are part of the team (from left).
© Charlotte Borst
The need is getting bigger, even in the rich district of Munich.
Not only in Unterschleißheim are more and more people dependent on free food distribution.
Unterschleißheim
– Bernd Knatz is standing in a red anorak under the canopy of the Unterschleißheim parish center and calls: “Number 115.” A man comes out of the line of people waiting, carrying two large shopping bags in his hands.
They are still empty.
But he now gets groceries from the boxes full of vegetables, fruit and bread, which he puts in his pockets.
Issued every Friday at the Parish Center
The “Unterschleißheimer Tisch” at the Ortisei parish center supplies 133 adults and 68 children every Friday.
Tanja M. (name changed) is waiting for her number to be called, 120. "Without the table, my life would no longer be manageable," says the 50-year-old.
“At first I was very shy about coming here and had to overcome my shame.
At some point I said to myself: The need is greater now.
The help is important.”
Tanja M. saves at least 40 euros per week
On Fridays at 10:30 a.m., she regularly picks up groceries and saves at least 40 euros every week.
"It's incredibly kind of people to make this offer on a regular basis." Tears well up in her eyes.
"I really appreciate that people invest their time and energy in this."
After all, Dieter W. has a social landlord
Dieter W. also urgently needs the help of the table.
The 77-year-old has to make do with 350 euros a month.
In addition to his pension of 980 euros, he receives 100 euros from the district office.
Of the 1180 euros per month, 600 euros are deducted from rent.
"But that's the warm rent.
I have a great landlord," he says, who hasn't announced a rent increase despite higher energy prices.
Dieter W. doesn't heat much anyway: "I haven't turned on the heating yet and don't need it that warm."
Below the subsistence level
As with the 77-year-old, the financial resources of the other Tisch visitors are below the subsistence level: That means they have less than 450 euros to live on, after deducting all fixed costs.
Volunteer organizer of the Unterschleißheim table, Eva Wendlinger, has been noticing for a long time that the influx is increasing.
“Corona contributed to this because livelihoods were destroyed in the pandemic.
Now the price increases mean that many people can no longer make ends meet.”
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More and more people need support
More and more people need the support of the Unterschleißheimer Tisch.
Tanja M. is very worried.
The former office worker has been suffering from severe depression since the corona pandemic.
"I lost my job in the office during the pandemic," she fights melancholy and the lack of money every day.
"Sometimes I'd rather not wake up in the morning at all.
I'm very afraid of my electricity down payment.” Tanja M. also often thinks about the heating costs.
She wants to keep gas consumption as low as possible: "I bought three hot-water bottles and a warm fleece blanket." sees.
50 people on the waiting list
The capacity of the Unterschleißheim table has long been reached.
There are currently 50 people on the waiting list waiting for a spot.
Eva Wendlinger is hoping for the Aldi market, which is being rebuilt at the old location on Carl-von-Linde-Strasse and will open at the end of the year.
"If Aldi comes back, we can hopefully clear our waiting list and provide everyone with groceries." She praises the willingness to donate from Rewe, the two Edeka markets, various bakeries and restaurants.
Every week they give away food that is close to the use-by date or food from overproduction to those in need.
The willingness to help of the 40 volunteers and the solidarity of the donors encourages those in need
A vegetable nursery from Feldmoching donates fresh fruit and vegetables every week, a family of hoteliers buys groceries worth several hundred euros for the Unterschleißheimer Tisch once a month, the Kölbl car dealership provides a Sprinter bus on Fridays, in which the volunteers can use their go on a weekly tour.
Sometimes people donate money.
Also today there was a lady who brought 50 euros.
"These are difficult times," says Eva Wendlinger, "you can only get through it together." The table and its 40 volunteers live solidarity.
Monetary donations for the Unterschleißheim table
Bank für Sozialwirtschaft, reference cost center 417732, Unterschleißheimer Tisch, your name and address
IBAN DE 46 7002 0500 8850 0004 20
BIC BFSWDE33MUE
