It took a lot of work, but it worked. Even before the holidays, there are cupboards in New Amsterdam/Veenoord where things can be put in for people with little money. An initiative from the village, welcomed by the municipality of Emmen.
Jannie Dordoy-Rabbers has lived on Wisselweg in New Amsterdam for almost thirty years. A street along a large lawn with little traffic. It may sound crazy, but the New Amsterdam resident hopes that it will become much busier in front of her house. Because that would mean that the community cupboard placed there on Friday afternoon would be put to good use. A cupboard where villagers can put food, books, toys, diapers, sanitary towels and grooming items for people who are having financial difficulties.
“When I heard that they were looking for places on private property to place these types of cabinets, I immediately registered. I think it is a great initiative,” says 64-year-old Dordoy-Rabbers. “It’s an easy way to help people with little money. And also without all kinds of hassle. You do not have to register or go through all kinds of procedures. Just walking or driving past is enough.” A little further away is fellow villager Renate Smits. She nods in agreement. Smits: “And you know what’s so nice? The project is really supported in the village. We looked for five different locations for a community cupboard and eight households registered that would like to have one in their garden.”
Concrete plywood
45-year-old Smits is the initiator of the project. “In September I watched the Postcode Lottery Miljoenenjacht and they were talking about neighborhood cabinets. Then I thought: that is also something for my own village. I know that there are quite a lot of people here who are having a hard time making ends meet.” Smits contacted Margriet Vorsteveld (42), board member of Local Interest. She and the other board members did not have to hold a long meeting about it, and Local Interest was happy to cooperate in this. The village association put money on the table and helped develop the plan.
Vorsteveld: “We naturally wanted good quality cabinets. Sturdy, so that they cannot simply blow over in a storm or be easily destroyed by miscreants. Also important: the material had to be such that it could last a long time. We succeeded, concrete plywood was used.”
In addition to Local Interest, contributions for having the cabinets made also came in from the Postcode Lottery, the Veenoord Welfare Foundation and the municipality of Emmen. Councilor René van der Weide (Wakker Emmen): “It is very nice what is happening here. People who roll up their sleeves to help villagers living in poverty. On the other hand, it is of course also sad. You would rather see that such initiatives are not necessary at all.”
Christmas package
The goal was to install the five cabinets well before the holidays. “Because then people can also put things from their Christmas package in it,” says Vorsteveld. It will all work out, because four of the five cabinets were installed on Friday afternoon. All immediately fairly well stocked, partly thanks to the village newspaper The switch and Facebook, quite a few people had already contacted Smits wanting to make items and/or food available. Now that the cupboards are there, these people can put it in themselves.
The fifth cupboard will be placed in the twin village next month. Smits: “We hope that they are used in the way we envision. So that only people with financial problems get things out of it. That’s right, we can’t check that. And despite the fact that they are on private property, we cannot prevent them from being destroyed. Anyway, we don’t assume these kinds of negative scenarios. We are happy that there are already four cabinets and that so many people are enthusiastic and want to help.”