“We always have concerns, but at this time we are especially concerned about the high rates of child poverty, the vulnerability of families in an irregular situation and the difficulties in accessing decent housing,” this is how José Andrés Pérez, director of … Cáritas Rioja, in the presentation of the 2023 report. A document that collects that other reality of La Rioja that is not common to look in the face and that offers with data a trend that Cáritas has been warning about in recent years: poverty and social exclusion, far from receding, have become entrenched in society.
This is demonstrated by the care data during 2023, the year in which this social entity helped 3,716 people – although the number of beneficiaries was 7,512 -, counted 32,397 responses and dedicated 264,141.58 euros to direct aid. Figures, all of them, considerably higher than those recorded a year before.
The current situation is worrying, especially because they confirm that the delay in the management of public aid and its low amount does not alleviate the situation of vulnerability of many families who have to turn to Cáritas “to cover basic necessities”, José has detailed. Andrés Pérez, in a press conference that he offered accompanied by the bishop of the diocese of Calahorra and La Calzada-Logroño, Santos Montoya; and the head of Christian Goods Communication at Cáritas, Carmelo Juárez.
From the 2023 report, attention is drawn to the “high number of people who are forced to turn to our entity for the first time.” Specifically, almost four out of every ten people treated were new. “This reflects that not only are there many people who cannot escape vulnerability, but there are also many who are falling into it because, today, having a job does not mean being out of precariousness,” José highlighted. Andrés Pérez.
For this reason, in 2023, the organization dedicated 264,141.58 euros to direct aid, almost 10,000 euros more than in 2022, and made 1,969 more responses. 62% of the responses were related to food, clothing and footwear. However, the greatest economic effort was allocated to housing and related supplies, to which 63% of the aid amount was dedicated. Specifically, the amount allocated to paying for rented rooms stands out (21.5%), triple that of 2022. “It is very significant that, sometimes, an entire family stays in each room,” he detailed.
Regarding the profile, the same trend continues as in previous years. 60% are women; 62%, non-EU people; 39% are in an irregular situation and 66% are between 35 and 65 years old. Likewise, households with dependent children predominate, representing 50%, with 32% being families made up of a couple with children and 18% being single-parent households.
After providing the data, José Andrés Pérez has regretted that minimum incomes (Minimum Living Income and Citizenship Income) are not helping a significant number of people escape social exclusion. Furthermore, «inflation has taken its toll on the already weak economies of the people who come to Cáritas La Rioja. Families with children are the ones that are most penalized. This explains the high rates of child poverty, linked to families in a situation of exclusion,” he noted.
In recent years, housing “has become a large bottomless pit” for many families, especially those with less income. «Having a home requires considerable effort. For many, it seems like an unattainable right due to the lack of rental housing and its high costs,” he lamented and then urged to facilitate their access to decent housing, at affordable prices, with measures such as the creation of a public park. of social rental housing. He has also referred to the vulnerability of many families in an irregular situation. In fact, four out of every ten people assisted last year were in an irregular situation.
Finally, Juárez took stock of the economic situation of the entity, which in 2023 managed 1,408,432 euros thanks, mainly, to the generosity of the people of Rioja since almost half of the income came from members, collections, donations and inheritances. However, income has not covered expenses either, registering a deficit of 160,358 euros. For this reason, they appeal to the solidarity of citizens.
An example of this has been the gesture of the diocese of Calahorra and La Calzada-Logroño which, being aware of the deficit, has doubled the amount it donated to Caritas last year. They also encourage all Riojans to become members. With a small monthly amount, “we can do a lot,” said Carmelo Juárez. In this sense, he recalled that detailed information on all the ways to collaborate appears on the website (www.caritaslarioja.org).
