Misery in Athens: 'New Poor' Grows from Greek Middle Class

[marmar]

from Der Spiegel:



Aid workers and soup kitchens in Athens are struggling to provide for the city's "new poor." Since the economic crisis has taken hold, poverty has taken hold among Greece's middle class. And suicide rates have nearly doubled.

If this crisis has reached Piraeus, then it's done a good job of hiding itself. Even on this cold February night, the luxury cars are lined up outside the chic, waterfront fish restaurants in this port suburb of Athens. But Leonidas Koutikas knows where to look. Not even 50 meters off the main promenade, around two corners, misery is everywhere. Koutikas finds a family of five living behind a tangled tent that has been attached to the wall of an apartment building.

Koutikas and his colleagues from the aid organization Klimaka are expected. They hand out their care packages here every night. "Each day the list of those in need gets longer," Koutikas says. He speaks from experience. Until recently, the 48-year-old was sleeping on the streets himself.

Athens has always had a problem with homelessness, like any other major city. But the financial and debt crises have led poverty to slowly but surely grow out of control here. In 2011, there were 20 percent more registered homeless people than the year before. Depending on the season, that number can be as high as 25,000. The soup kitchens in Athens are complaining of record demand, with 15 percent more people in need of free meals. ..................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,814571,00.html

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Where we'll be if the GOP manages to sweep the November elections.

[roguevalley]

3. they only have their bodies. they need to burn the city to the ground. corruption

and 1% not paying taxes are half the cause here.

[CAPHAVOC]

4. EU and USA have no choice but to bail them out. If they don't the CDS insurance will be exposed as a

Scam.

[jwirr]

5. Previews of coming attractions. If you are paying attention to what is happening here the aid

organizations are already overwhelmed. And it is not at its worst here by any means.

The last two months I and my granddaughter have gone to and organization called Ruby's Kitchen that is sponsored by local churches and stores such as Super One and to be honest Walmart. The first time we went in I was shocked at how many people were waiting in line. More than 150 in our small community. The next month there were more. The elderly were there, young families, unemployed. They were all in trouble.

This Greek situation is showing us why it will not work for us to go the way they are being forced to go. That is certain death for many.

[Doctor_J]

6. I wonder if the Greek New Poor vote republican, like the

formerly middle class here. Probably not, since Limpballs doesn't run Greece.