Banco Alimentar Contra Fome – the NGO that feeds people in Portugal who cannot feed themselves – reports that the pandemic has seen demand on its services spike by at least 60,000. Before the pandemic, there were 380,000 people being helped, now that number is at 440,000. Banco Alimentar president Isabel Jonet says she doesn’t expect the situation to improve for quite some time.
It has to be stressed that Banco Alimentar is just one service for the hungry.
Individual councils are also working hard to ensure families within their boroughs are helped when they need it.
Over the weekend SIC reported that Lagos, for instance, the number of families that have suddenly required help as a result of the pandemic has leapt 200%.
Before the virus affected citizens way of life, Lagos council was distributing 120 food parcels, said the news channel. Now it is distributing more than 660.
Loulé has more than 1,100 people on their lists of those needing help, and Olhão has another 600.
Says SIC, this is a scenario that repeats itself throughout the country.
