Millions of Europeans Require Red Cross Food Aid

Spiegel.de ^

[DeaconBenjamin]

European Union families and individuals are increasingly reliant on charity organizations like the Red Cross for basic needs like food, water and shelter. While Germany is relatively unaffected, unemployment and austerity in countries like Spain make the problem even more severe.

Two-thirds of national Red Cross societies within the European Union distribute food aid -- a sign that the economic crisis in Europe has an alarming effect on poverty.

Yves Daccord, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said that the scope of food distribution is the highest since the end of World War II.

The Spanish Red Cross supports 3 million Spaniards with food aid. Daccord said Spanish needs are so great that the organization solicits donations for domestic and foreign operations.

Middle Class Hard-Hit By Crisis

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies provides more detail on the food need. Last year, the Spanish Red Cross provided 73 million pounds of groceries to the needy. It also supported 21,500 people with water and electricity, or with financial aid in paying rent.

The organization's counterpart in Romania has operated a donation-based food distribution program since 2009. Three million people live in absolute poverty, according to the aid group, a figure that constitutes 14 percent of the country's total population. The relative poverty rate in Romania is also shockingly high, at 40 percent. Last year, the Romanian Red Cross distributed more than 1.1 million pounds of food to more than 81,000 needy families.

The IFRC also noted a rise in poverty in previously middle-class families and individuals. In Italy, the group noted a rise in the homeless population includes "separated and divorced men who end up impoverished or on the streets as they struggle to maintain themselves while keeping up child support and alimony payments."

[Track9]

Nothing given for the ‘’greater good’’ in a socialist society is ever ‘’voluntary’’.

That's the truth.. and a nice way of pointing out the coercion endemic to liberals.

[hinckley buzzard]

Is it possible that doing good; aid, unemployment, etc. allow politicians to avoid making the hard decisions?

At the beginning of the 20th century this was almost precisely the argument used by "progressives" to undermine private charity, which had functioned well in this country for generations. They opposed private charity because "it let the government off the hook." In other words the operating assumption was/is that it is government's responsibility to feed and water everyone who falls on hard times. Bad idea. Very bad.

The way to get politicians to make hard decisions is by voting in responsible people. Of course, by this late date the electorate has become sufficiently depraved that that is unlikely to happen.