More Christmas support applicants than ever

Two all-time highs were reached in this year’s Christmas support campaign in aid of cash-strapped families with young children – one positive and one not so positive.

Starting with the positive: the Christmas charity concert, which is the main source of funding for the campaign, brought in a record-high DKK 2 million.

 >> SEE ALSO Rapidly rising demand for food and clothes aid

The less positive news is that the number of applicants has increased by 45 percent compared to last year.

From 2016 up to an including 2021, applications came in for an average of 530 children per year. This year, the number was close to 800.

About 40 percent of this year’s applicants did not apply last year.

 >> SEE ALSO High rental costs put many at risk of poverty

“This is a worrying trend because it indicates that far more children now live in financially tight circumstances,” says Djóni Eidesgaard, chairman of campaign organiser Barnabati.

Approved applicants were given vouchers for grocery stores at an average value of about DKK 3,000.

The amounts were adjusted according to the number of children and the family’s financial situation.

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

More Faroese News in English.