Line Midtun is sitting in the car with another delivery. This time it’s a bag of baby clothes and a pink school bag. She is chairman of Familiestøtten Bergen. An organization consisting of around 80 volunteers who deliver everything from food to clothes to families in an economic crisis. And those families are becoming more and more numerous. In the last three weeks, the pressure has doubled for the organisation. From around ten requests a week, they now have around 20. A LOT OF DRIVING: The volunteers spend around 20-30 hours a week driving out deliveries to needy families. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news Anonymous deliveries Many people who have long been able to get their everyday life going, can no longer do so. The reason is, among other things, increased prices for food, electricity and fuel. Midtun says that the volunteers spend between 20 and 30 hours a week just making deliveries. All the families they help must remain anonymous. – It’s not always nice for others to see. Some people want to protect their children from the financial situation they are in, and we understand that. MANY WANT TO SHIELD THEIR CHILDREN: Several parents who are struggling say they want to shield their children from the financial situation they are in. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news Families make contact for the first time Back at the warehouse, HR manager Jenny Wiik looks for outerwear for little ones children. She says that many of the families are struggling because of the low salary level. – In the main, we help people who do not already receive social benefits or housing benefit. Midtun adds that several are asking for help for the first time. – Many say that they have used up all their savings. That in the past they have just managed, but that it is no longer possible. LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT CLOTHES: It takes time to find exactly what families need. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news On what feels like a summer day in September, they find woolen clothes for children. In the past, most families made contact when the crisis occurred, but that has changed. – Now people tend to be a little ahead of the curve. They see that they will not be able to afford it in the next few weeks and ask if we can help them now. Expert group to look at measures – It indicates that there are quite a few families who usually have quite small margins. It doesn’t take that many changes for them to no longer have enough money, says Tormod Bøe, who is professor of social psychology at the University of Bergen. Bøe is part of the government’s newly appointed expert group for children in poor families. – The fact that we have the economic situation we have now makes the topic very relevant. Expert group for children in poor families In August 2022, the government appointed a committee to investigate what the state can do for children who grow up in poverty. The committee will spend one year coming up with proposals that will improve the living conditions of children who grow up in poverty. The latest figures from Statistics Norway show that in 2020, 115,000 children belonged to a household with a persistently low income. The expert group consists of eight members and will be led by economics professor Mari Rege. Sources: The Government and NTB. PROFESSOR AND SENIOR RESEARCHER: Tormod Bøe is both professor of social psychology at the University of Bergen and senior researcher at Norce. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news – In a sense it is urgent, but at the same time there must be no more urgency than that we manage to develop good and precise measures that provide the help the families need. Midtun in Familiestøtten is already thinking about how the situation will develop in the run-up to Christmas. – In December, we can have over 100 families a week, so we are excited to see how Christmas will be this year. CHILDREN’S CLOTHES: A lot of children’s clothes are distributed to families in need. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news
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