Poverty: Caritas Siena, “Covid has left its mark on the territory, in 2021 requests for help increased by 95%”
The effects of the second phase of the Covid pandemic are beginning to be felt in a profound way on the territory of Siena and the province, also affecting social groups that had resisted in the first wave. One figure above all: compared to 2019, requests for support to Caritas presented at the diocesan level have increased by 95% and at the level of the Sienese area by 78%. This is the general picture that emerges from the II report of the diocesan Caritas of Siena-Colle di Val D’Elsa-Montalcino, presented today in Siena by Cardinal Archbishop Augusto Paolo Lojudice.
The data obtained from the Caritas centers of Siena, Arbia (Asciano), Spugna and Santa Caterina (Colle di Val D’Elsa), Sovicille and San Rocco (Sovicille), in 2021 840 people were met and analyzed together, of these 581 in the diocesan center of Siena. In 2021, 840 people registered, 293 new users. In 2020 there were 650 people including 207 new users. In Siena alone, out of 581 people met, 231 are new users. In 2020, 173 new users out of 458 plays.
The average age of people who turn to Caritas is 45.7 years. 54.4% are men, 45.6% women, while 33.8% are Italians and 66.2% foreigners. The constant increase in the presence of Italians over the years should be highlighted (in 2015 they were 28% and in 2019 30%). The most nationalities present are those of Bangladesh Nigeria, Romania, Pakistan, Tunisia, Albania. The presence of foreigners has totally changed compared to 2019 where the presence of people from Albania, Romania and Morocco was prevalent. As of December 31, 2021, there were 547 families supported by Caritas in the diocesan territory.
In addition, there is also an increase in Torrenieri, the southern area of the Diocese, where the Montalcino emporium works, where it has gone from 242 food packages delivered in 2020 to 384 in 2021.
The food packages distributed in Siena (Arbia and San Girolamo) in 2020 were 1,293, in 2021 it increased to 2,532. And this has also meant the increase in expenses for purchases of food products, going from 25,654 euros in 2020 to 46,496 euros in 2021. It should be noted that in 2021 there were important economic interventions given by the health societies and municipalities. Despite this, the request was very strong, a request that was also shared with the local social services.
In 2021, over 70 people were welcomed into the Le Querce di Mamre di Tolfe Center; 15 women in the Center of Arbia and in the Santa Luisa Reception Center, many of them with minors; in the center of Arbia and in the other apartments 4 families. At the canteen, 10,825 meals were distributed to 141 people, the majority of whom are homeless and without work. Also important is the intervention of Caritas for the disbursements to users for the payment of bills, rents and transport. It has gone from 12,107 euros in 2019, to 26 thousand in 2020 up to 34 thousand in 2021.