Station missions at the limit: "urgently need help"
After a sharp increase in assistance in recent years, the Bavarian station missions are, by their own admission, at their limits in many places - and are now asking for help themselves. "The smaller station missions in particular urgently need support if they want to live up to their claim of being the first and often last anchor for people in need in the long term," said Hedwig Gappa-Langer from the Caritas association IN VIA on Thursday in Munich, describing the situation. A new campaign is therefore to recruit more volunteers and donations.
The 13 station missions in Bavaria at the time recorded around 600,000 help requests last year - around 100,000 more than before the pandemic. In these times of war and crisis, they are increasingly confronted with the poverty of many people. With the drastic rise in the number of people in need, the demand for food and material aid has also skyrocketed.
Gappa-Langer explained that there is also a growing need to talk to visitors who have existential fears, are mentally distressed or ill. In addition, more travelers need support again after the coronavirus restrictions are lifted, such as older people changing trains or children on their way to "daddy weekends".
The station missions support people in difficult life situations as well as travelers who need help en route. They are usually run jointly by the Catholic Caritas and Protestant Diakonie organizations. In addition to the 40 full-time employees, many of whom work part-time, more than 300 volunteers are involved in twelve cities in Bavaria, from Hof to Lindau. The station in Kempten had to close at the beginning of 2023.
In light of the increasing demand for assistance, aid organizations like Caritas IN VIA are appealing for support to sustain the work of smaller station missions, acting as crucial long-term anchors for individuals in need. Despite serving over 600,000 requests for help last year, these missions, often a joint effort of the Catholic Caritas and Protestant Diakonie organizations, are facing a significant rise in poverty and mental health issues among the vulnerable population.
Source: www.dpa.com
