Outside of these dates, if a family asks for help, as they will not have the necessary things to pass, then the municipality prepares a package and sends it. What is surprising, from the words of the mayor, is the fact that most people in need do not ask for help themselves, but the authorities are informed by third parties.
“Usually the names of people in need are given to us by neighbors, friends or acquaintances, because families have dignity. There were people in need who didn't open their mouths to tell us and others informed us. There were cases that came and told us that they don't need us to delete them. That's why the numbers fell”.
Once the municipality receives the information that a family needs help, it records its details and after making the necessary checks, to determine whether it needs help or not and then they receive help from the Municipality.
“They can come and get their package from the Municipality. We buy some things ourselves with money from a special fund, to which our citizens contribute, we also add an amount and we also get offers from various companies. We also have a box in our supermarkets that says it's for our community grocery store and anyone who shops can drop things in. We collect those things now that the weather is getting short and give them away. There are many companies that are food importers and they call us and tell us to go get food and give it to the poor and we do. The things we get are less, because of the reduced number of people we help”.
These ten years that the Social Grocery Store of the Municipality of Latsia has been operating, Mr. Pittaras' mind has been filled with stories of people who were in need, but also of dignity and did not go to ask for help. But also stories of people who were helped and then wanted to give back.
“There was a case where a citizen called about his neighbor wanting help. When the municipal workers went to his house, his refrigerator was empty. We had a case where they were waiting for help from the social grocery store, because they had nothing to eat. There are always those people and there always will be. Some companies, our citizens may give us gift vouchers and we will give them to those who need it. There are people who were helped and wanted to give back, and we told them to go clean a park or their neighborhood green space.”
Those who wish to help can contact the Municipality of Latsia and receive information on how and when they can contribute.
“There is a phone, 77777733 which is the citizen service center that this service comes under and the citizen can let them know they want to help and they will let them know how they can do it. We take the things brought to us by citizens or companies and separate them into boxes and take them to the citizens. Our goal is that no one has a bad time at Christmas, that they can say they have a decent table. I think we are trying. It is good that this need does not exist. It is good that we went from 300 families to 70. We want this part to be completely eliminated”.
“We have lived enough experiences”
In the meantime, another social grocery store of historical importance, located next to those in need, is also the one that operates in the Municipality of Larnaca. It was what he gave to citizens who didn't even have the necessities, when Cyprus experienced the haircut of deposits and all the banks were closed. It was the one who found himself next to those who were then more in need than before.
Since March 2013, at the helm of the Larnaka Social Grocery is Mr. Kokos Gerasimos, the man who associated his name with the offer and the love to fellow man.
“We give packages every Friday to those in need. Families apply, are approved after we make sure they really need it, and we give them help every Friday. During Christmas we give them more help, with extra food. We put them in bags, one of which has dry food and pulses, the other has more basic food, such as milk and bread, and more treats, such as chocolates, popcorn and other various things, given to us by the world for free. We may not have a set number of things to give all together. We also give them perishables. For families with many children, we give extra help, with one more bag. We also offer minced meat, chicken, salami, sausages, pastourma, yogurts, fries, burgers. We used to have liquor too, but now we can't give because we don't have resources. Only the City Hall supports us now, whereas in the past we also had companies and we had a lot of money”.
When the deposits were cut and the Cyprus economy was in tatters, the Social Grocery of Larnaca was helping 3,892 people, divided into 465 families. That number dwindled over the years, and since Mr. Kokos took over and the application process was introduced, there were now 200 families in need.
“Until and before the coronavirus pandemic, we managed to have 38 families stay. With the pandemic we went 200-250 families and when the pandemic ended we went back to 58 and now we have 105 families. In the two lockdowns we had, more than 200 families in need went up. We specifically had 240 the first time and we gave both Wednesday and Friday to make ends meet. The second time we had 252 and we gave again on Wednesday and Friday. Now we help 105 families with 233 people. We have eight families with six and seven people and we give them more help, but no matter how much we give them, we do them injustice”. His mind is filled with images and stories, which although they have the same desperation, they also have the same sense of dignity of the people who wanted help.
“One day I went to the grocery store at 6:10 in the morning and found a man waiting. I say to him “what are you doing here on the bench?” and he answered me “sir, I am waiting for you to open to give me something, because my children are hungry”. I said to him “for God's sake, why didn't you call me?” and he replied “I didn't know”. He didn't ask for much. She wanted long term milk, condensed milk, bread and diapers. He didn't ask for things for himself, his concern was the babies. He told me that both he and his wife had lost their jobs.
There was a woman who called me and wanted diapers and milk for the babies. I told her to come the next day, to give you everything I have and she didn't come. He came after a few days and I asked how he got on. She told me she was taking off the baby's diaper and washing it and putting it on him. I understand why he didn't come. There are many such cases, but I try to preserve the dignity of each person and help them to be in a better situation”.
The need for help, right now in view of the Christmas holidays, is increased and the Larnaca Social Grocery wants to offer to those who ask for their help. “Now at Christmas, those who call are recorded and I tell them to come at a certain time, so I can give them what I have and have left over. We have to give first to the beneficiaries and whatever is left over I give to those who ask for help. I give to those I have and then I go to different people and ask them for help”.
How citizens can help
In the meantime, in addition to the specific Social Groceries, citizens who wish to help those in need can look for various organizations that collect packages of love. One of them is the Love Wagon, while food and packages are also collected by the Red Cross all over Cyprus.
In addition, the campaign of the All-Cypriot Coordinating Corps of Volunteers “Adopt a family at Christmas” is also underway. where citizens can offer packages with food, but also toys for the children.
Besides, packages are collected to be given to the needy in various Metropolises of Cyprus, such as the Metropolis of Limassol and the “Paramythia” center, as well as the Metropolis of Morphou. At the same time, those who want can contact the Archdiocese to donate.
;ας εΙπε για γεΙτονα του που θeλει β οorθεια… Το ψυγεiο του orταν Αδειο» />
- “We secretly take packages to homes, there are people who don't even have a lemon”
- “Families are asking for milk, bread , butter for their children… They are tragic”
