Old and Poor in a Rich City – but this Woman Helps!

One woman who I really admire is a local here in my hometown Munich – Lydia Staltner. Lydia founded LichtBlick e.V. in 2003, a non-profit organization that cares for elderly people in need.

Though Munich is a rich city, 30 percent of people over 65 years face old-age poverty due to low pensions and high rental fees. Lydia and her team support 17,000 senior citizens in Munich, Lower Bavaria, and North-Rhine Westphalia.

In Munich alone, LichtBlick provided them with 15,000 face masks and 14,000 food boxes last year. 200 unpaid volunteers have helped the elderly with shopping. About 3.3 million euros have been paid as immediate aid for groceries, clothing, health costs, etc. But LichtBlick e.V. doesn’t only take care of financial issues – fighting loneliness is key. Throughout the recent coronavirus lockdowns, the team tirelessly looked after senior citizens, visited them at home, or organized events. A remarkable initiative that makes it less fearful to be an elderly person alone in my city!

Originally published on June 21, 2021.