Made Poor by the Crisis: Millions of Europeans Require Red Cross Food Aid

[xchrom]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/food-distribution-at-european-red-cross-at-greatest-level-since-war-a-888182.html


A Red Cross worker arranges boxes at a food distribution center in Villacanas, Spain.


Two-thirds of national Red Cross societies within the European Union have begun distributing food aid, according to the head of the aid groups' international organization -- a sign that the economic crisis in Europe is having an alarming effect on poverty.

Yves Daccord, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said on a visit to New Delhi on Monday that the scope of food distribution had not been at its current level since the end of World War II.
Germany's relative economic strength has made it mostly immune to the rise in food need. In contrast, the Spanish Red Cross is supporting 3 million Spaniards with food aid. Daccord said the need in Spain was so great that the organization has begun soliciting donations for not just foreign, but domestic operations as well.

Middle Class Hard-Hit By Crisis

A document published by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Socities provides more detail on the food need. Last year alone, the Spanish Red Cross provided 33 million kilograms (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.

[HiPointDem]

1. I'm always surprised that so few people find this shocking and unworthy of comment. and it's

not getting better, either. it's getting worse.

[xchrom]

2. i knew when i posted this it wouldn't get a lot of attention.

i don't get it -- it's too removed some how? is all i can think of.

[OldDem2012]

3. The same thing has been happening in the US since the financial collapse and the first wave of....

....job losses followed shortly afterwards by foreclosures. People became jobless, homeless, and hungry. And all of that was happening BEFORE the sequestration disaster was allowed to take place.

Perhaps that's why you're not getting much of a response...people in the US have been experiencing it for quite some time and have grown quite numb to it.

[HiPointDem]

4. quite a bit more extreme in spain now though, i think. it's still easy in the US to be oblivious if

you have a middle class income, particularly as you can go from middle class home to middle class workplace to middle class shopping area in the protection of your auto.

rather than walking the streets or taking public transport.

[marmar]

5. k/r

Coming Soon to a Nation Near You

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Very worrisome. Is this what austerity gets you?