The National Institute of Statistics (INE) revealed on Tuesday two realities of poverty in Spain. One, the burden of aid falls on private entities. And two, homelessness grew last year by 22% compared to 2020. To this figure we must add those who spend the night on the streets: in the city of Barcelona alone, at least 1,231, according to the latest Arrels count Foundation Because having a roof does not mean having a home. This reflects the INE.
The centers that accommodate homeless people served a daily average of 21,684 people in 2022, of which 7,105 were women. Statistics also reveal that social aid and attention to poor Spain rests more and more on private centers, such as foundations, oenagés and non-profit organizations that function thanks to public aid, donations and, above all, work of their volunteers.
One figure confirms this: only 23.7% of the 1,175 hostels, canteens and residences for homeless people were publicly owned. And 76.3%, private, such as the aforementioned Arrels Fundació, an unavoidable reference in what some call the fourth world. Its director, Ferran Busquets, repeats an idea against a recurring criticism from some sectors: “If you are so worried about the homeless, take them home”. He and other activists usually reply that this is not the task of private citizens, but the obligation of a State to distribute the wealth and channel the distribution of taxes well. “It’s not charity: it’s justice.” The ratio between the public and private sectors (although it should rather be called solidarity or altruism) is only invested in care centers for victims of gender-based violence (61.2% public ownership).
Poverty is multifaceted. In another of its aspects, immigration, the disproportion is significant again: only a scant 8.5% of the centers specialized in the care of these people are public, which leaves 91.5% in private hands . Social canteens (such as La Terrasseta, from the non-profit association Rauxa, one of the few that offer dinners in the Catalan capital) offered 51,376 daily services.
Among those welcomed (so, and not beneficiaries, they are called the campaign hospital of the church of Santa Anna, in Barcelona) there are more and more people who never imagined that they would have to turn to these entities or the Food Bank to eat or fill the pantry. The charity dinners in 2022 were 10.5% more than those in 2020. Most locales, much to their dismay, have to set numerus clausus to avoid being overwhelmed.
This is the case, for example, of the Gregal solidarity canteen, in the Besòs neighborhood, one of the few in its category that were open during August (when the volunteers’ holidays force the temporary closure of many similar initiatives). El Gregal, which receives municipal subsidies, distributes “300 numbers to be able to access the dining room”. It opened in 2013 with the idea of ??serving meals for one year and has been doing so for more than ten years.
Not all centers do everything. 54.8% look to cover a specific need. The most repeated calls for help are those related to immigration and the request for asylum and international protection (46.7%), as well as drug addictions. The social benefits podium is made up of information and welcome (82.8%), accommodation (76.8%) and care and support (76.5%).
The number of people who worked in institutions such as those already mentioned and many others was 19,967 in 2022. 49.5% of the staff were salaried; 44.6%, voluntary; and 5.9%, religious, subcontractors, student trainees… Without volunteering this building would not stand. And the metaphor of the building is appropriate because homelessness is one of the main scourges of this kaleidoscopic reality.
Over the last few years, residences to combat homelessness have also grown: 914 centers in 2022, 15.4% more than in 2020, with 26,690 places (64.2% private). The average number of beds occupied by people over the age of 18 was 21,684, with an average occupancy of 81.2%, which may lead one to believe that if not all places are occupied, there are already some has too much
All the sources consulted from third sector entities agreed to answer with a resounding no. Many people do not access care resources for a myriad of reasons, such as not having to leave their pets or not having a place to store their belongings. To those who sleep on the street, in public and private hostels, we must add those who sleep in irregular settlements and shacks.
Rosario Uriarte, the coordinator of the field hospital of the Church of Santa Anna, summarizes very well what does not appear in the statistics. “Once one of our guests thanked me very effusively for my attention. ‘But I haven’t done anything for you yet’, I replied. ‘Nothing? You heard me! I haven’t spoken to anyone for a week’, he answered me, who already thought he was invisible”.
