Obtaining fresh groceries, everyday goods and hygiene items at affordable prices is a challenge for some, because the income had to be almost used up for rent and the most necessary clothing. The risk of falling through social safety nets continues to rise – poverty can affect anyone. In Austria alone, over 1.2 million people have an income below the poverty line.
counteract poverty
“Many people have been helped with the Red Cross market for ten years. Having little money also leads to social isolation. With this market we want to counteract poverty and its consequences,” says store manager Hermann Bachinger, summing up the founding idea. “I was proud of our market and was looking forward to the first customers,” reports Julia Raudaschl, an employee at the Rotkreuz market, on the opening day.
“In the beginning, a lot of improvisational talent was required, but our processes were soon established and fortunately we can rely on regular donations from companies and a few private individuals. We are very grateful for that, because without them it would be just as impossible as without our volunteer employees “We have a great team and a good atmosphere, everyone helps together and together we do a lot of good. It’s good for your own soul,” Julia Raudaschl continues. Some are there from the start to help. These ten years of commitment to social affairs have now been duly celebrated in Vöcklamarkt. And some companies and some private individuals have been donating regularly for ten years. These are often goods that would otherwise have to be disposed of or removed from the range.
50 volunteers help
The almost exclusively voluntary employees sort out these goods carefully, because even a market with a social focus must of course comply with the guidelines of the food police. In total, there are 50 employees who collect, sort out, store, sell and, if necessary, also dispose of goods at the end. The driver service, which takes customers to the Rotkreuz market if there is no other option, is also staffed by volunteers.
“We are always happy to have new faces in our team. This work is very meaningful and brings us together. It enriches everyone here through new contacts and through the meaning that one gives one’s own life. That is the ‘reward’ for those who work here,” reports Hermann Bachinger from his experience of the last ten years.
Source: Nachrichten
