– I would struggle a lot without the offers of the City Mission of the Church, and then I think especially about food, counseling and community, says Truit Johansson (46).
When needed, she is one of the new people who line up outside the church’s City Mission to receive free food bags.
Two years ago, he wasn’t supposed to get free food, it was only after Corona and expensive times.
– Absolutely ordinary people come. “You think people come from decent backgrounds,” said Trant Henriksen, department head of the church’s City Mission in Halton.
He says there are three times more people standing in food lines now than before the pandemic.
– What you see here is only the tip of the iceberg.
Today there is a Christmas buffet at Kirkes Bymisjon Hotel in Halton. Drud Johansen sits at the permanent table and waits for Chef Ida’s food to be ready.
– Ida makes incredibly good food and baked goods.
She is excited to say that the church has become a group of friends who use the services provided by City Mission. Community has become as important as food.
– All kinds of people come here, she says.
They say the better the coffee here, the cheaper it is.
Truitt visits the cafe on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, usually collecting food bags on Tuesdays.
– When she started going to the Church’s City Mission, and I was so and so happy that I had something to go to, the days became completely different.
She’s not alone in feeling more precious times.
56 percent feel they have received bad advice in the past year Statistics collected by Norstad on behalf of Freunde Forsikring.
A new study shows that the number of people receiving Social Security benefits has increased by 16 percent in the past year NAV survey.
Of the new recipients, the majority are Ukrainian refugees, but there are others Families with children and teenagers.
The food line is long
– I’ll be honest and admit that Tuesday mornings are the hardest part of my workday, Henriksen from Kirkens Bymisjon.
– I sometimes walk around the queue in the morning, it reminds me of my childhood.
He grew up on the eastern edge of Oslo.
People outside the old train station in Halten come from other places such as Friedrichstadt, Sarbsburg, Syria and Ukraine.
Before the battle to get bags of food begins, weary faces peer into the small door window of the Pimissionen Cafe.
Not enough for everyone.
Many take the bus early and stand outside for an hour in the cold to be first in line.
– It’s sad to see desperate people like hungry wolves waiting for food, says Trond Henriksen.
Food bags will soon disappear.
– Poverty has many new faces, says Henriksen.
– They can be very rich. When interest rates rise and people are already over the limit, the facade crumbles.
Most food distribution services are noticing a growing need for food assistance. Food distributors put the increased demand on the back of inflation and rising costs, writes Fafo, of the Institute for Working Life and Welfare Research. A recent report.
The report points out, among other things, that food lines undermine public confidence in welfare policy. Faith not only among disadvantaged people but also in other people.
– All of us humans need help in some way in life, and there’s no shame in asking for it, says Henriksen.
One in three come from families with children
Around 80 per cent of those here depend on NAV benefits, says Trant.
– It is permissible to ask questions about whether social security benefits are too low.
One in three arrivals are families with children, Trond says.
– It causes extra pain when children don’t get what they need and want.
Poverty creates alienation, he says.
– I don’t think politicians have enough knowledge about struggling people. They can’t imagine that and live in a safe environment with their million dollar salaries. Then you can pay less attention to it.
Fresh faces are warming up across the cafe before the next food delivery begins.
– Everything is expensive. Too many people are coming, so there’s less food, and Tony Jensen fills the bag, saying he’s going to set a record for filling the bags in the shortest time.
During the year, Kirkenes Pymisjon Halden distributes fifty tons of food in addition to free food.
Tony talks about familiar old faces staying at home after hours of waiting in line for food.
– Sometimes there is an argument about who will be the first.
An electric, red wheelchair with stickers makes its way through the crowd. The driver is a familiar face to many in the restaurant.
– Mona Winger (62) says she comes a little late on Tuesdays because she can’t wait in line.
One of Mona’s legs is paralyzed. She has had multiple illnesses since the age of three, including asthma, diabetes and epilepsy.
He has been in the Pymisjon environment for ten years. Pymisjon was the first place she visited when she visited Halton.
– This is standard cargo, and that’s me. It’s comfortable. Then the 63-year-old man says hello when he comes and hello when he leaves.
She received the menu for the week. She happily showed the black bag.
– And then we got such delicious skimmed milk, and then I could bake. Let’s see if there is anything more interesting here.
Old tired hands dig deep into the surprise bag.
– It’s avocado, salad and potatoes. Yellow potatoes are extra good. Click and I will have grapes too.
That’s it for the new week, except for three free meals at the Bymisjon Hotel.
– It’s almost like a Christmas present, this one. I get a Christmas present once a week and I think that’s really cool.
– If it falls on Sunday, it’s only two days until Tuesday, right? It’s a bit sweet.
Mona mostly bakes at home.
– There’s not much to it. Two tablespoons of sugar, wheat flour, rye flour and some oats. It tastes better than the bread shop, and it fills you up.
They don’t often get surprise bags of flour and sugar because the cafe needs to bake something too. Then it will be a trip for cross-border trade.
He uses a social security taxi to get to Sweden to buy cheap food while paying social security.
– Everything is so horribly expensive and it’s a shame that social security prices haven’t risen at the same rate. It’s not, you know.
Laundry and care products aren’t something you’d expect to find in grocery bags.
– I found something brilliant in Sweden. Three in one shampoo. It’s actually for kids, but I figured if kids can use it, I can use it too.
– I am generally very positive and solution oriented. You should be happy with what you have and try to make the best of it. I don’t want to be depressed. This makes the situation worse.
She proudly shows her recliners at home and grabs a remote control to play reggae music as she sips her soda.
– This is how I can enjoy myself.
There is no dearth of soft drinks at home. The fridge is full of Coke bottles, or rather almost Coke bottles.
– I save everything for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. Then I will enjoy.
Along with Peppa Pig.
The White Parrot never fails to welcome visitors. He was her close friend for over 35 years.
The table is already covered with Christmas cloth. The lights are in place. Soon it will be Merry Christmas.
– Now I have two turkey fillets in advance. There will be a Christmas party, there will be a New Year’s dinner.
She sits alone on Christmas Eve. He has done it 21 times in the last 25 years.
– Since I am alone, I buy myself gifts from myself.
At Trud’s house, the dog gets caviar and she talks about Christmas presents.
– I’m buying Christmas presents next year at the Room Christmas Sale, and there’s plenty to save on.
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Truit Johansson dreads January every year because she has to pay her doctor’s deductible.
– I need to confirm a doctor’s appointment when there is money for the deductible. Then I bought Christmas presents at the previous year’s rum Christmas sale to give gifts to everyone.
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