The serious social consequences of Covid-19 marked the work of Cáritas during the second year of the pandemic, according to the data collected in the 2021 Annual Report, which was presented this morning in Madrid. Monsignor Jesus Fernandez Gonzalezbishop responsible for Cáritas Española; Manuel Bretonpresident, and Natalia PeiroSecretary General, have been in charge of presenting this accountability during a press conference held at the institution’s headquarters.
During 2021, Cáritas invested a record amount of 403 million euros, 16.4 million euros (4.07%) more than the previous year, in its different resources and projects within Spain and in international cooperation actions in third countries . Within our country, the Solidarity Economy programs concentrated more than 79% of the general increase in funds invested during the past year.
With a total endowment of 98.7 million euros, the financial effort made on the itineraries for social and labor insertion and the insertion companies exceeded the Reception and Assistance programs (94.9 million euros). Both projects concentrated almost half of the total (48.1%) of the resources invested by Cáritas last year.
“The FOESSA report that we presented at the beginning of the year revealed that the lack of employment is the main cause of social exclusion in a society like ours in which the main source of income for Spanish households is income from work. The figures in the Report reflect the commitment of Cáritas in recent years to seek opportunities for people with the worst employability profile without abandoning the response to social emergency situations”, explained the general secretary, Natalia Peiro during the presentation of the balance of activities.
Thanks to these available resources, Cáritas managed to support 2,621,102 million people inside and outside our borders during the second year of the pandemic (2.85 million in 2020). Of these, 1,612,972 within Spain and 1,008,130 in International Cooperation.
More people served than in 2019
The data in the Report show that the improvement in the health crisis and the progressive reopening of the economy throughout 2021 helped alleviate specific emergency situations in some Spanish households. In the last year, the Reception and Assistance program attended 1,287,382 people (1,425,991 in 2020;). The figure is 20% higher than that registered before the start of the spread of SARS CoV-2 (1,020,176 in 2019).
“2020 was the year of the great impact of Covid-19, when specific emergency aid skyrocketed, while 2021 was the year of inflection due to the start of normalization. Now we are going back to the trend of more long-term accompaniment because people need help for more months, but we continue to have more people in our foster network than before the pandemic”, Natalia Peiro emphasizes. The Reception and Assistance program concentrates 79.8% of all the people cared for in Spain.
Seniors and homeless
The other sections that have required a greater financial effort during 2021 are closely related to the sources of social emergency where our Confederation has had to follow the priorities set by the pandemic. These are the programs for the Elderly (34.5 million), Homeless People (35.9 million) and Family, Childhood and Youth (27 million), to name the most relevant.
The Housing program also stands out, the second factor that causes the most exclusion among the vulnerable population after the lack of employment. Cáritas invested 12.6 million euros in this area, from which 10,368 people benefited (7,358 in 2020).
The section on International Cooperation projects and strategies also deserves a special mention, to which more than 19.7 million euros were allocated in 2021, 3.21% more.
This important economic effort (some 16.4 million more than in 2020) has been possible thanks to the generous support of thousands of partners, donors and private collaborators, who have contributed more than 279 million. Along with this, the effort of the different Public Administrations also stands out, which contributed a total of 123.5 million euros to the Cáritas programs.
This origin of the economic resources of Cáritas maintains the same trend as in previous years, within a range that remains between 69-71 percent from private funds and 29-31 percent from public subsidies.
maximum austerity
Even though in the last two years the Confederation has put into play a significant increase in economic resources due to the social impact generated by the pandemic, it has been possible to maintain the austerity objective in the Management and Administration section at the same figures as in previous years. : 6.2%. In other words, of every 100 euros invested in actions to fight poverty, only 6.2 euros have been allocated to management expenses. “We have been in this percentage of management expenses for 20 years,” stressed the general secretary of Cáritas Española.
The Report also collects the data of the people behind all this confederal activity, sustained thanks to 73,661 volunteers and 5,408 contract workers.
effects of inflation
While the pandemic is not over yet, it has once again poured rain. The repercussions of the crisis derived from the war in Ukraine and the increase in the cost of living are again sharply increasing the levels of precariousness of families.
“The inflation data for May 2022 is again a jug of cold water for the economic and social forecasts of Spain. For the most vulnerable individuals and families, it is no longer just a setback, but an overflow situation that requires a courageous response that meets social needs,” said Natalia Peiro.
For a family of 2 adults and 2 children who are earning 800 euros per month, a general increase in the CPI of 10% means 80 euros more in monthly spending for this family, which means aggravating the problems to cover essential rental expenses, payment for electricity, gas and filling the fridge. “This is an unaffordable situation for many households,” said the general secretary.
75 birthday
At the press conference, Manuel Bretón announced the events that have been organized to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Cáritas, coinciding with the presence in Madrid of those responsible for the 70 Diocesan Cáritas who are participating in the General Assembly, which takes place tomorrow and the day after tomorrow in El Escorial.
This afternoon, at 7, at the Casa del Lector Auditorium, in Matadero de Madrid, an event will take place that aims to pay tribute to all the people who have made these 75 years of history possible. The act, which can be followed by streamingwill be hosted by Javi Nieves and Mar Amate, from Cadena 100, and will feature live music from the group Los Secretos.
And next Friday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m., a thanksgiving Eucharist will be celebrated in the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, presided over by Cardinal Carlos Osoro and concelebrated by other Spanish bishops.
“Completing 75 years motivates us to continue working to help others and to offer everyone the best of ourselves. And we know that with you we make it possible”, affirmed the president of Cáritas, who expressed his gratitude “because, despite the difficulties, we continue to give the best of each one and strengthen ourselves as a society and Christian community to give opportunities to whom the Pope Francisco defines as discarded”.
The bishop accompanying Caritas focused on linking the work of Caritas in these 75 years to the Social Doctrine of the Church. “As an organized service of charity within the Church, this journey along the path of construction of justice has gone hand in hand with what we could define as a golden age of the Social Doctrine of the Church (DSI), supported by the succession of great social encyclicals initiated by Saint John XXIII with Peace on Earth and that will be enriched in the following decades with the teachings of Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francisco”.
“The history of love and service of Cáritas since 1947 – Monsignor Fernández added – has been clinging like a glove to the inspiring and luminous breath of the DSI, through the gratuitous commitment of several generations of people who have contributed the best of their lives to bear witness to that Samaritan Church always present on the side of the road where all the forgotten live”.
