Social affairs - Food banks in permanent crisis: new admissions difficult in Hamburg
Large crowds, but less donated food: the pressure on food banks in Germany is high - especially in the big cities. Over the past two years, both the number of helpers and the amount of food donated has fallen, as Julia Bauer from the board of the Hamburger Tafel told the German Press Agency. From the 20th of each month, the number of calls would increase. In the meantime, the distribution points are only accepting new customers in very few individual cases.
"Our food banks are in permanent crisis mode," said Andreas Steppuhn, Chairman of the umbrella organization Tafel Deutschland, to the German Press Agency in Berlin. First the war in Syria, then the corona crisis and finally the war of aggression in Ukraine have further exacerbated the situation in recent years. "Poverty in Germany is increasing, and noticeably so." High inflation is putting a strain on people and the food banks themselves.
According to the information, there are currently 973 food banks that support up to two million people. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, food banks have reported an average of 50 percent more customers, according to the umbrella organization. "This varies greatly from region to region," said Steppuhn. The rush is particularly high in the big cities.
According to Bauer, the Hamburg food banks play an essential role in the city. According to their own information, they support around 30,000 customers per week - and are financed purely by donations. However, the budget is correspondingly tight.
Reducing food waste has become an important issue in Germany - but with consequences for the food banks. "Of course, we generally welcome it when less food is thrown away and supermarkets and discounters work more sustainably," said Steppuhn. "But of course it means that the food banks have fewer food donations and more customers at the same time."
Steppuhn emphasized that the food bank is a voluntary organization and not a state institution. His demand: "What we expect from politicians is that poverty is finally combated effectively, because as food banks we cannot solve everything."
Tafel Germany Social Association Germany
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- Despite the rising number of individuals seeking aid, the amount of donated food in German cities like Hamburg has decreased, as mentioned by Julia Bauer from the Hamburger Tafel to the German Press Agency.
- In recent years, the situation for food banks in Germany has worsened due to several factors, including the war in Syria, the Coronavirus crisis, and the conflict in Ukraine, as reported by Andreas Steppuhn, the chairman of Tafel Deutschland.
- Steppuhn added that the umbrella organization has noted a 50% increase in food bank customers since the start of the Ukraine war, which varies greatly across regions and is particularly high in large cities.
- According to Steppuhn, the German food bank system, including those in Hamburg, is a voluntary organization and relies solely on donations to support around 2 million people nationwide.
- Amidst efforts to reduce food waste in Germany, the food banks have faced challenges due to fewer food donations while experiencing an increase in customers, as acknowledged by Steppuhn.
- Steppuhn underscored the need for politicians to take action in combating poverty more effectively, as food banks alone cannot fully address the issue.
Source: www.stern.de
