Not since 2008 has a larger group of people accepted donations from the National Church of Iceland than before Christmas this year, according to Rev. Guðrún Karls- og Helgudóttir in Grafarvogur, Reykjavík.
People with disabilities make up the largest group, Guðrún told ruv.is. “People on minimum wages are also asking for help now. There are students among them and people who live off support from the municipalities.”
The charity Fjölskulduhjálp Íslands provided around 1,400 families with food before Christmas this year. “They aren’t decreasing, that’s for sure,” said Margrét Hrafnsdóttir, the charity’s patron. She added she hopes that people won’t feel shame in asking for help.
The week before Christmas, students at Lágafellsskóli elementary school in Mosfellsbær outside Reykjavík asked customers at supermarkets to donate groceries for the homeless.
In two hours they collected 74 bags filled with food products, which they handed over to the shelter Dagsetrið on Eyjarslóð.
This is the second year in a row that the school’s students carry out the charity operation, ruv.is reports.
