Even in normal times, it is actually almost unbearable that thousands of people live below the poverty line in the rich district of Munich and are dependent on support from the food banks, for example. Now the number of those who have to queue for a few groceries is increasing these days – and there are competitive situations that shouldn’t really exist. In addition to the people who were previously dependent on the Tafel – the unemployed, the sick, refugees – there are now also people seeking protection from the Ukraine. Politicians must act to prevent mood swings in the food banks.
The district cannot be accused of inactivity when it comes to helping people financially. Like the state capital Munich, the district has been voluntarily increasing social benefits for years in order to cushion the exorbitant cost of living here at least a little. And this is not about a few who can no longer afford to live, but about many thousands of people who are dependent on the help of the state. Only the prices keep rising – not only at the pump, but also in the supermarket. In addition, due to the Russian war of aggression against the Ukraine, the simplest but indispensable staple foods such as oil and flour are becoming scarce, which the food banks are feeling indirectly. If the shelves there are empty and more and more people are struggling for the bare essentials, there is a risk of a state of emergency – and volunteer work there is in danger of being damaged.
The district must use all its legal options to help people at risk of poverty. He has to use his voluntary benefits in the area of the Social Security Code and asylum benefits, which also include Ukrainian refugees, as far as possible. Money shouldn’t play a role in this. Because only the municipal level can fight poverty quickly, unbureaucratically and on the spot.