THOUSANDS of needy families across Cyprus have received help for the holidays over as the public rallied behind a growing mobilisation of in all districts to help those less fortunate.
Local authorities, charities, schools, colleges, companies, volunteers, and the Church joined forces to ensure as few people as possible go without for Christmas, as unemployment continues to soar, and those who are working face a huge drop in their standard of living.
All districts report an overwhelming response to pleas for help, and the public has responded with time, money or donations of foodstuff and clothing.
In Limassol, over 240 families have received packages through the municipality's community market scheme, which collects donated dried and canned food, household items and clothes.
The packages are bigger this time of year than they normally are, because of the large number of people and companies who have responded to calls for help, the head of Limassol municipality's social welfare department, Evie Tsolaki, said.
"We have been able to offer bigger quantities of goods," she said adding that a number of events throughout December have helped raise awareness among the people.
Groups have formed spontaneously, as people have responded "very warmly" to requests for assistance, she said. There have been cyclists touring the city, and "a group of friends playing guitar and collecting food for the community market," she said.
Companies, schools and universities, as well as individuals have all been pitching in, she added. On Boxing Day, the 240 families who are being helped will all gather for a festive meal, Tsolaki said.
The Limassol Bishopric's Stavros Olympios, who runs the Church’s soup kitchen as well as the pancyprian volunteerism coordinative council, also reported an increased willingness to help at this time of year.
"It is touching how many people come and bring food to equip our volunteers' centres," he said, referring to a recent initiative to set up centres in each town where people can help the needy directly and with minimal fuss.
"Now, because of the holidays but also because of the [financial] situation, more people are helping on the level of councils, the Church, everywhere," Olympios said.
"If they can't afford to give money, they contribute in kind, also many are giving toys for children," he said.
"We hope this is not seasonal but continues throughout the year so these centres can function and we can help people," Olympios said.
The soup kitchen now offers lunch on a daily basis for 600 people, already an increase of 100 since the last time the Cyprus Mail checked in with them back in November.
In Nicosia, an estimated 2,500 people were helped as part of an initiative launched by Archbishop Chrysostomos II, who opened a food market in May.
Parish priests inform the archbishopric of their flock’s needs, and the list is ever-growing.
And Nicosia municipality has cancelled New Year’s celebrations and – in conjunction with help from Athienitis supermarkets, has helped 320 primary school students and their families each get a €50 voucher for Christmas, Nicosia mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis said.
The Nicosia multifunctional centre has also been fundraising to help needy and vulnerable families, Yiorkadjis said.
In Larnaca too, more and more people are in need of help, with the recently set up community market now providing weekly food parcels for over 200 families, community councillor Elias Elia said. In November, it was 150 families that were the recipients, he said.
But for Christmas, the municipality plans to help an additional 150 to 200 people who applied for assistance, but the municipality was not currently able to help on a regular basis as of now.
"All of us - but especially the mayor, Andreas Lourdoudjiadis have been putting in tremendous efforts," he said.
Though Elia also said that people were being more generous in the holiday season, he added the municipality was being careful to ensure that there was enough left for after the holidays.
"It would be a shame if we did not have anything to give to these families in the New Year, and the times that are coming ahead are hard," he said.
How you can help:
The Larnaca community market’s Famagusta co-operative bank account: 0344004770-2
Call the bank at 24-203300, for any questions or assistance.
Contributions to the Pancyprian Volunteerism Coordinative Council can be made to following bank accounts: Bank of Cyprus 357005889524; Popular Bank 005-31-039544; Hellenic Bank 105-11-137244-01; Alpha Bank 202-105-024772-7 and the Co-operative Central Bank 1001050008387
Limassol municipality asks that people call at 25 884 300 to find out how to help.
Your local parish priest in Nicosia is your point of contact in Nicosia.
Call the Cyprus Red Cross Society at 22666955 or else email admin@redcross.org.cy
Alkionides charity has a warehouse in Dali, where people can donate clothes, furniture and dried food to be handed out to people in need. To donate, contact Alkionides on 22 361295 from 8am to 1pm, Monday to Friday
Anyone interested in donating to the Future Worlds Centre, please call 22-873820.
The recent ‘outpouring of love’ at Engomi municipality in Nicosia