People come and go at shared cabinets in Brabant. Every day, Annemarie de Jong fills her ‘shared house’ in Bergen op Zoom with groceries for people who are having a hard time. “In the past two months, the number of users has quadrupled. It’s sad in and out,” she says, heartbroken.
Annemarie’s phone is red hot all day long. “Annemarie, we’ve already used up all our leftovers from the freezer. We’ve run out of money. I won’t have any food for us and the kids for the next few days. Do you have any more?”
It is one of the many heartbreaking messages that Annemarie daily via her Facebook page Shared house Bergen op Zoom will be sent. “My heart cries when I read stories like this. Then I immediately start collecting stuff. Because how desperate do you have to be to send me such a message?”
“I really enjoy being able to help people.”
Until two months ago, Annemarie saw about three to four people a day taking something out of her cupboard. “But it’s four times as busy now. I see about fifteen men a day here. Lots of older people who initially walk by because they are ashamed.”
As soon as the news about the high energy prices came out, Annemarie saw an increase. “I really like that I can help people. But it’s actually very sad that it has to be this way.”
“In The Hague they don’t know what poverty is.”
Annemarie is very concerned. “In The Hague they have to look beyond their noses. They don’t know what poverty is, what hunger is,” she sighs. “Only shared houses are not enough. You do have food banks. But if people spend two euros above the standard, they are not allowed to go there.”
“There are people who only have twenty euros a week to live on and then they also have a child walking around. Then you think: that is not possible. But those people will succeed, because they can grab some food here,” says them with a cautious smile.
“It is important that no child is missed.”
Julia Govers has had a mini library in her front yard in Kaatsheuvel for years. Although the small box has since been replaced by a larger one. “It is so very busy. It already became busier during the corona crisis, but since the last three months it has also been four times as busy here.”
“I really didn’t see this coming,” says the owner of Peetje’s Mini Library. “I saw around me that many other cabinets were added. From sanitary napkin cabinets to cabinets with plant seeds. But this? It scares me that people have such a hard time that they have to take refuge in these kinds of things. It’s really harrowing .”
Julia gets the feeling that people give each other more in this more difficult time. “You can take or exchange books here. Not only are more taken now, but a lot more is also added.”
In the run-up to Sinterklaas, Julia’s mini library is temporarily full of presents. “I think there will be much more enthusiasm for this year. I will try to reach as many people as possible. It is important that no child is missed.”