Caritas Menorca has seen evidence of the effects of the economic crisis at first hand. The charity's report presented last Friday shows that the number of people needing its help last year reached an all time high, 1,886 benefiting from help and services provided by the charity, an increase of 20% on 2008.
Speaking at the presentation the General Secretary of Caritas Menorca, Tònia Florit, stressed that more than 30% of the people were asking for help for the first time. Even more worrying, according to Florit, is the prediction that the numbers will continue to rise this year and next. Caritas España also released a report on Friday which revealed that the number of poor people in the country increased by 4% last year.
The Menorcan report shows a change in certain trends, with 36% of people helped being Spanish (an increase of 4% on 2008), 40% illegal immigrants and the remaining 24% foreigners with their papers in order. During the first quarter of this year, the number of Spanish seeking help rose to 41%.
The amount of food aid offered by the charity has doubled, and now represents 74% of the cases, as have requests for help with clothing, medicines and products for young children.
Francesc Triay, the episcopal delegate to Caritas Menorca voiced his concern over the shortage of resources available as a consequence of difficulties in supplying the food banks.
Caritas Menorca is aware that recovery from the crisis will be slow and is worried that the cut in its funds as a result of restrictions imposed on the authorities and the reduction of income from the IRPF will be reflected in its ability to carry out its work. The charity is self-financed to the tune of 50% of its annual budget which is around 2 million euros.
Red Cross food distribution
Volunteers at the Alaior branch of the Cruz Roja were working last week preparing food packs of basic elements to be distributed to around 20 entities on the island. Some 23 tons of surplus food production have come from the E.U. and will have to be shared out before 14th June. For several years the Red Cross has been responsible for the distribution throughout Spain of surplus E.U. production and this year the Alaior branch will be responsible for sharing out the goods on the island.
This is the first of about three shipments that will see the island receive some 68 tons of basic items such as rice, pasta, cereals, sugar, milk, flour, cocoa powder, babies' milk, cheese and biscuits which will help to provide staple items to numerous families on the island facing financial hardship.