Portugal’s 811 ‘soup kitchens’ have already served over 14 million meals this year, costing the government more than €36 million – and there is no sign of the situation improving.
Indeed, the government has had to triple its spending on soup kitchens this year and may well have to plough more money into the initiative.
The grim news comes in data supplied by the social security institute (ISS) which shows that soup kitchen costs have already easily surpassed those for last year – with two long hard winter months still to go.
In financial terms, ISS shows that 2012 saw government spending on ‘social canteens’ reached almost €34 million.
2013’s expenditure has already gone a further €2 million, and reveals this country is having to provide almost 49,150 soup kitchen meals every day.
Secretary of State for Solidarity Agostinho Branquinho has confirmed that, if necessary, this amount will be upped. Speaking last week, he guaranteed that there was still money available to continue the nationwide social canteen programme.
Data compiled is hazy on the precise number of people so at risk that they need to eat in these canteens. ISS says this is a detail “that remains with each of the institutions that has a contract with the State” – but it is easy to pinpoint the areas of the country where most people show greatest need. In this order, they are Santarém (where there are 115 social canteens), Lisbon (111) and Portalegre (69).
