Appeal for donations

Caritas home collection against need in Germany underway

(Bild: Wulf Scherbichler)

Caritas is once again going from house to house until the end of March to collect donations to combat need in Germany. 40 percent of the money raised will remain directly in the individual communities. 

The situation of those who are in a difficult financial situation has recently become even more acute. The end of support benefits such as the housing umbrella or rising energy costs are at the expense of the poorest. According to Caritas, they will receive more than a hundred euros less every month.

Cuts affect the poorest in particular
According to calculations by the Chamber of Labor, the changes to electricity costs mean around 30 euros in additional costs per month for an average household. With the reduction of the Salzburg heating subsidy from 600 to 250 euros per year, those affected will lose a further 30 euros per month. The expiry of the housing umbrella means that up to 130 euros a month could be lost.

"You have to bear in mind that people who are in difficult financial situations usually live in older homes - with inefficient heating systems and electrical appliances, inadequate insulation and old windows. This means that energy consumption is even higher than in average households," explains Kurt Sonneck, Director of Caritas Salzburg.

Ulli Zechner-Kamberger collects in Liefering(Bild: Caritas Salzburg)

Help is available at the social advice centers, which are funded by donations. "Counselors can only continue to be available with the help of the population," says Kurt Sonneck, Caritas Director in Salzburg.

Home collection for Austria started at the beginning of March
Ulrike Zechner-Kamberger is one of around 2,500 volunteers who are currently ringing doorbells in Salzburg and the Tyrolean lowlands. She is asking for help on her own doorstep in Salzburg-Liefering. "We are 26 collectors this year. There have been more. This year we are visiting around 840 households in our district," she says. "I like doing this, it's important to me that we can support our people here in Liefering and via Caritas throughout Salzburg. For example, we have the Vinzitisch and the Vinzibus through the parish - we couldn't do that without the donations. And Caritas does a great job, for example in helping young people."

People already know when Ulli Zechner-Kamberger rings the bell: "People know each other, I go to my area, my neighborhood and I'm well received. Many people are happy to see me, sometimes there's coffee and I always have time to chat."