The train station missions in Bavaria report a sharp increase in people seeking help. Last year there were almost half a million contacts in the facilities in the Free State, 26 percent more than the year before, the working group of church station missions in Bavaria announced on Wednesday.
It is noticeable that almost every third guest suffers from mental problems or addictions. The demand for food and material aid is also continuing to increase. There are also train travelers who have to deal with problems such as delays, overcrowded trains or online tickets or who need other help.
:Bavaria’s train station missions are calling for help
War, inflation, high energy prices: more and more young people are asking for bread and coffee in the facilities. The influx puts pressure on volunteers. Even small donations help.
Overall, the train station missions in the Free State counted more than a million aids last year, 43 percent more than in 2022. In almost half of the cases it was about material aid such as emergency supplies, sleeping bags, blankets or hygiene products. Those affected stayed in the facilities’ rooms more than 375,000 times.
“Many are lonely, others are desperate, some are even at risk of suicide,” report the facilities supported by the Bavarian Ministry of Social Affairs. More than half of the contacts were in the Munich train station mission. Many of the people who showed up were said to be highly psychologically stressed or unusual. “A large proportion of the people who come to us live on a subsistence level. In crises and acute emergencies, the route increasingly leads to the station mission,” described director Barbara Thoma.
Michael Lindner-Jung from Würzburg is also reporting record numbers, for the second year in a row. Poverty is the dominant issue, and there is also a growing number of people in acute crises or with recurring psychoses or depression. He cites the corona pandemic as one cause. “Many of our guests have lost what little they had at all. Also their connection to society and life,” said Lindner-Jung. Existential fears, despair and discouragement often took hold. “We see every day how poverty and hopelessness make people sick.”
And then there are the train passengers who need help. Demand has been increasing again since 2022, for example because trains are delayed or overcrowded. Digitalization also makes traveling by train difficult for many, especially for older people. “Our volunteers pitch in wherever they can,” emphasized Anita Dorsch, head of the train station mission in Nuremberg. She would like to offer even more and be even more present. “At the moment, however, this is not easy due to the limited human resources.”
According to the working group, around 400 volunteers work at the station missions across Bavaria, who are supported by full-time staff