The Crypt in Vienna

I would like to tell you today about the so-called "crypt", which exists for many years. The crypt itself is launched by the Catholic Church, precisely speaking by the Caritas, which provides shelter for homeless people. Caritas in Austria has been active in the field of asylum (German lessons, etc.), street work, homeless and much more. The crypt itself is focused on care and support of people who have lost their homes. In the crypt people can have something to drink and eat for free, get fresh clothes and shoes, wash their own clothes, take shower, get small wounds treated, warm up and socialize themselves with each other. The special thing about this facility is that it does not only receive donations with money, but as well as donations in kind. Also, the crypt provides people the chance to help directly, for example to volunteer to cook for the homeless.

Cooking in the crypt means that a group of 6-7 people gets together and decides first which meals are to be served, secondly pays and brings the required ingredients (on average 300-500 dollars) and thirdly, prepare the food. It is pointed on the homepage that about 180-200 portions (for lunch at 12.45 / dinner at 19 clock) are served for one meal time. In order to produce as many servings, about 28 kilograms of meat, 26 kg supplement and a full crate of salad are needed. In addition, desserts such as yogurt, cakes or fruits are asked to be prepared since they are especially welcomed. If you are curious to learn more about the crypt, you can visit the website www.gruft.at. Although it is only in German, but we know pictures say more than words in any case, so I think taking a look is definitely worthwhile.

But now I'll tell you something about the donations in kind. What is needed in the crypt next to clothing and footwear, are food (like pasta, salt, canned meat and Fish, oil, biscuits, chocolate, etc.), hygiene products (shower gels, lice shampoos, razors, feminine hygiene products, patches, ointments and much more.). But also tickets for public transport, cigarettes, lighters, pens and as well as dog food because some homeless have a four-legged friend as his sole faithful companion. I myself have been engaged for years for this facility together with friends by organizing donations for the crypt. I collect clothes and shoes, depending on the season boots or flip-flops, T-shirts or winter jackets, etc. For this purpose I have not only been repeatedly searching within my own four walls for recyclable goods, but also asking constantly my friends and acquaintances whether they might have been keeping something in their wardrobes, which they no longer wear and would give it away for a good cause, and whether they would donate some food or hygiene articles. In addition, I buy about once a week an article, which the crypt needs for care service. Once I take a shower gel, another time a hand cream, then canned meat, fish, dog food or noodles with me. Why am I doing this? Why don’t I just donate 50 Euro at once or invest in a single purchase for the crypt? Honestly, I can not afford to pay 50 Euro at one go. But to buy a product of 1 or 2 dollars by an average once a week, is of no such significant spending - especially when I need to shop for me and my family any way. Remembering that a cup of tea costs at least 2 dollars and a cup of coffee up to 4 dollars in the cafeteria, a pizza around 8 dollars, to me, this spending is much easier to handle. On an annual basis the donations done in this manner sum up to a not inconsiderable amount, which helps those people who can not gain a foothold for various reasons in our society.

How does it work with the transport? Finally, I live about 60 miles away from the crypt. I collect both sanitary products, food, dog food as well as clothes and shoes for several months, and when a worthwhile amount has arisen, a good friend would bring all the stuff directly to the crypt in Vienna. In this way we were able to have many goods for those people who rely on our support, without being short of anything for me or one of my friends.

Maybe this article can stimulate some readers now to consider the value of a single dollar from two sides: On one hand, its value is very low if it is considered that it will not even be exchanged for a single cup of tea in a teahouse, on the other side, however, a single dollar is sufficient to buy a whole kilogram of pasta or a kilogram of dog food - at least in Austria.

照片來自 http://www.gruft.at/gruft-winterpaket/

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