A Difficult Winter Ahead for Those in Need

Five hours before opening its doors, a line had begun to form at Reykjavík-based charity organization Fjölskylduhjálp Íslands, mbl.is reports. According to its manager, Ásgerdur Jóna Flosadóttir, a varied group of approximately 430 people sought help yesterday.

The Icelandic Church Aid’s logo.

According to Flosadóttir, the number of those in need of help greatly increased since the second half of 2008, and continues to do so. The charity has been extremely busy lately, as is typical at the beginning of a new school year. She confesses to being pessimistic, predicting that the winter will be difficult for many.

The Icelandic Church Aid received approximately 5,400 requests for help last year, according to Vilborg Oddsdóttir who is responsible for the foundation’s domestic aid. Behind each request are usually two or three people. The group of those seeking help has changed. Now, younger people are more prominent than before.

According to Ragnhildur G. Gudmundsdóttir, chairwoman of the charity Maedrastyrksnefnd Reykjavíkur, which also provides people with food and other necessities, large families are increasingly seeking help because they can’t make ends meet despite having jobs.