The charity “Be the light” has started to provide help to families with many children, families with children, seniors, as well as those in difficulty, in a new location – in the former territory of the Cēsi market, in the premises where the store “Dārza bodīte” used to be.
The large families met on Tuesday shared poignant stories about why they sought help. One of the interviewed mothers of three children, who lives in Cēsis, admits: “Clothes and shoes are expensive, but children quickly grow out of everything and wear it out. I am at home with the youngest child, I do not work, so it is more difficult to make ends meet. It’s already inconvenient to come for help, but right now we really can’t buy clothes, shoes, that’s why we came. Also, diapers have become very expensive, I am grateful that I received a large package here. Other hygiene items are also expensive. I am grateful for the help, and if the association needs it, I will be happy to help do something, for example, organize things or be useful in some other way.” Another mother of three children I met has health problems, the youngest children are sick, so it’s more difficult at the moment: “But I’m fighting, I’m not giving up. All respect to Gints (Gints Berneckis, “Be the light” association – ed.), who helps us. I came straight for diapers, I can’t live without them, but the money isn’t even enough for medicine at the moment.”
Gita is a teacher, mother of two daughters and a son, who cannot work due to health problems: “The most important thing is clothing, all the children are students, we need a lot, both pants and jackets, as well as shoes. My daughter was very happy that she can also get a packet of chips here.” Gita admits, although it’s embarrassing to say it, but she survives on child support and child support paid by the state: “I work part-time in the store, but I have long-term health problems, I’ve been on sick leave for more than a month and a half. Money spent on medicine. I paid the bills, we buy food, we barely last until the next month, we make ends meet – we fry potatoes, cook pasta. It’s good that there are food packages, there is rice, buckwheat, then we have to think of something to add, we make a minced meat sauce, and the food is ready.”
The chairman of the association’s board, Gints Berneckis, believes that seniors also often have difficulties in buying the necessary medicines and paying utility bills, after which there is not enough food for the whole month.
Those who came for help appreciate the new collection procedure, which is now more convenient and easier. Previously, the association provided support for a long time in the large warehouse on Raina Street, now the premises are much smaller, so the assistance is distributed: on Tuesdays to families with many children, on Wednesdays – to families with children, on Fridays – to seniors and those in difficulty. In the past week, fifteen families and nine persons in difficulty received help, among them mainly senior citizens and war refugees from Ukraine.
In order to ensure quality help and people’s needs, help is provided only to the residents of Cēsi district. In order to receive support, the recipient must fill out a questionnaire for a family, a senior citizen or someone in a crisis situation, so that the association can report to the State Revenue Service and prevent abuse. It is planned that on average each family will be able to receive assistance once every three months. Gints Berneckis hopes that in this way it will be possible to avoid people who take only because they can get something for free, and will not develop an attitude that leads them not to provide help. “Now we talk to each family about the situation, how we can best help. We hope that these people will also find an opportunity to participate in financial planning training, because the goal of the association is not to help them throughout their lives, but to allow them to bounce back. We know people who once came for help, but now they respond and help others. This is also the result to which we must go,” emphasizes G. Berneckis.
The association shares both the donations of fellow human beings and the supporters of the association “Tuvu”, Ziedot.lv, SIA “Skandināvs”, and the foundation “Fonds Cerība Ĝimenei”.
