A social worker for a charitable organisation in Iceland says that conditions for those requiring food and other social assistance has not decreased over the years, and those who were in need of help before the 2008 crash are in worse condition today.
Icelandic Church Aid (ICA) provides food, clothing and other necessities to Iceland’s needy. Those who come into better living conditions move out of the programme, and ICA has been tracking how many people come and go.
Vilborg Oddsdóttir, a social worker for Icelandic Church Aid, told RÚV that based on the clientele her organisation has worked with, the number of people seeking assistance has not decreased significantly. Single mothers of foreign origin working at entry-level jobs are the worst off of any other demographic in the country, which Vilborg ascribes to the fact that many of them are not entitled to the government assistance that citizens receive.
At the same time, Vilborg also believes many families who are in need of help are reluctant to reach out, due to shame and fear of embarrassment that their neighbours will find out.
Those wishing to donate to the ICA can call or e-mail for more information on how to do so.
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