– The food queues have in a short time become twice as long and rightly so. We are constantly seeing new faces that could be referred to as “ordinary”, says press adviser in the Salvation Army Håkon Løtveit. The organization distributes food in several cities in Norway. They follow developments and have measured the queues over time. The result leaves no doubt. Far more people need help. – Several people come to us crying because they are unable to get money for the most important things, says Løtveit. According to him, queuing for food is absolutely the last resort for many. The Salvation Army distributes food in Oslo, Drammen, Kristiansand and Moss, among others. Here they experience an enormous increase in people who seek them out because the money is not enough. Normally, 50 people show up at the food distribution in Moss. This autumn, the average has been 125 people a week. – This is going to be a tough winter At Blue Cross in Kristiansand, news meets “Mari”, who has two children in their teens. Poor, is the word she uses for her family. – Yesterday I felt that it was getting cold. Then I thought that this is going to be a tough winter, she says. “Mari” wants to remain anonymous, but she talks about her fear of the winter cold. She is not alone in that. Photo: Elisabeth Sandve / news She herself receives work clearance money. The man also has a low income. Mari says that the electricity bills eat up everything they previously had left over and that she has to prioritize hard when it comes to food and heating. – Our children are completely unique. They cope with everyday life very well, but sometimes it’s tough, she says. – More people go to bed hungry. Managing director of Blå Kors Kristiansand, Arvid Solheim, says that there are people in completely ordinary family situations who need your help now. – Those who have had it bad before will get worse. More and more dads and mums are going to bed hungry, he says. Normally, Blue Cross sells sacks of firewood to finance its offer. This year they are giving away 1,000 sacks of firewood to people who fear a freezing winter. There are 1,000 bags of firewood in Blue Cross’s warehouse, ready for families who cannot afford to buy firewood themselves. Photo: Kai Stokkeland / news The seven congregations behind the Frimat offer in Kristiansand also confirm that it is ordinary families who need help now. – There are parents who come straight from work and pick up food, says pastor of Håne’s free church Stian Hansen. The food is surplus from local shops and bakeries. Theresa Andersen, who is a volunteer at Frimat, joins every Monday and distributes several hundred food boxes to those who need them. Photo: Private Knows fear and terror Ann Hege Skogly in the Church’s Bymission, believes many people know fear. – It is about the fear of not being able to put food on the table for the family. – They are afraid that homework will have to be done in an icy children’s room. It’s not just turning off the heat. Electricity, food and mortgage interest are not expenses we can just get rid of, says Skogly. Nav in Kristiansand is concerned about the situation, but has not yet seen an increase in new user groups. – We are prepared that new users who are not in our systems today will come and ask for support now, says Hedy Døsvik, manager at Nav Kristiansand.
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– More dads and mums go to bed hungry – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
