Help needed in the community
social welfare
22 Dec 2021
/ 15:32
CORFU. The requests for help over the festive period from those in need have increased by 10%.
Hundreds of our fellow citizens are in need of a hot meal, some clean clothes, packages with food and basic necessities, but above all a loving hug. They are in need of support from social services and the church and already the requests for help over the festive period from those in need have increased by 10% compared to the previous period. More and more people can't make ends meet and are 'knocking on the door' of the Metropolitan Church to ask for help.
Since the community shop and food kitchen opened in April 2017 over 187,500 meals have been served, 135,000 food items distributed and 9,500 items of clothing and household goods handed out to at least 340 people and families who are living in poverty.
The community shop and the food kitchen in town were set up by the Central Corfu Municipality and the Social Cooperative 'New Horizons with co-funding from Greece and the EU.
342 beneficiaries
The managing director of the Social Cooperative Thanasis Papavlassopoulos told Enimerosi that meals are given daily based on social criteria to at least 140 individuals and families from throughout Corfu and packages from the community shop are distributed to another 212 families twice a month.
"We saw that in the pandemic the first victims of the health crisis were the socially vulnerable groups, and that they had an even greater need of help, especially during the festive period," said Mr. Papavlassopoulos. "We have seen an increase of 10% in requests for assistance."
The community shop provides free groceries, detergents, frozen goods, clothing, household items and toys to families in serious financial difficulty.
The food kitchen serves meals on a daily basis and there are food distribution centres in central Corfu as well as in the north and south.
Metropolitan Church
Corfu, Paxos & Diapontia Islands Metropolitan Church is 'flooded' with requests for help, especially during the festive period. Monthly food packages are normally distributed to 200 families by its four community shops (Corfu Town, Sidari, Lefkimmi and Kanalia) but this has increased for the period of Christmas and New Year, with another 100 families being added.
"A large section of the community is suffering great difficulties,"says Father Themistoklis Mourtzanos. "At this time of the year, however, the difficulties are even greater and more people are turning to the church for help. We are now in the position where we are distributing 300 packages to people to help them cover their needs for food and basic necessities at this time."
He added that the church also helps 15 Corfu students on a monthly basis to cover their expenses and the Poor Fund gives large amounts for operations and chemotherapy as well as to cover electricity bills and rent.
"This is not how people think the situation is in Corfu," he says. "There are people who have real difficulties. There are people who have jobs but the income is not enough for them to live with dignity."
He added that there are food kitchens in Mandrakina, Anemomylos and Mantouki which support another 100 people daily. According to the Father, there has been an increase in the number of people who cannot make ends meet and the church works in cooperation with the municipalities to cover their needs, whether they be unemployed or employed.
The local churches also help by giving clothes, medicine and even cover expenses such as rent and electricity bills.
Since the community shop and food kitchen opened in April 2017 over 187,500 meals have been served, 135,000 food items distributed and 9,500 items of clothing and household goods handed out to at least 340 people and families who are living in poverty.
The community shop and the food kitchen in town were set up by the Central Corfu Municipality and the Social Cooperative 'New Horizons with co-funding from Greece and the EU.
342 beneficiaries
The managing director of the Social Cooperative Thanasis Papavlassopoulos told Enimerosi that meals are given daily based on social criteria to at least 140 individuals and families from throughout Corfu and packages from the community shop are distributed to another 212 families twice a month.
"We saw that in the pandemic the first victims of the health crisis were the socially vulnerable groups, and that they had an even greater need of help, especially during the festive period," said Mr. Papavlassopoulos. "We have seen an increase of 10% in requests for assistance."
The community shop provides free groceries, detergents, frozen goods, clothing, household items and toys to families in serious financial difficulty.
The food kitchen serves meals on a daily basis and there are food distribution centres in central Corfu as well as in the north and south.
Metropolitan Church
Corfu, Paxos & Diapontia Islands Metropolitan Church is 'flooded' with requests for help, especially during the festive period. Monthly food packages are normally distributed to 200 families by its four community shops (Corfu Town, Sidari, Lefkimmi and Kanalia) but this has increased for the period of Christmas and New Year, with another 100 families being added.
"A large section of the community is suffering great difficulties,"says Father Themistoklis Mourtzanos. "At this time of the year, however, the difficulties are even greater and more people are turning to the church for help. We are now in the position where we are distributing 300 packages to people to help them cover their needs for food and basic necessities at this time."
He added that the church also helps 15 Corfu students on a monthly basis to cover their expenses and the Poor Fund gives large amounts for operations and chemotherapy as well as to cover electricity bills and rent.
"This is not how people think the situation is in Corfu," he says. "There are people who have real difficulties. There are people who have jobs but the income is not enough for them to live with dignity."
He added that there are food kitchens in Mandrakina, Anemomylos and Mantouki which support another 100 people daily. According to the Father, there has been an increase in the number of people who cannot make ends meet and the church works in cooperation with the municipalities to cover their needs, whether they be unemployed or employed.
The local churches also help by giving clothes, medicine and even cover expenses such as rent and electricity bills.
