The Kéretlen Figyelem Debreceni Nők Közéleti Egyesülete (Unwanted Attention Debrecen Women’s Civic Association) once again hosted a meal for Debrecen residents living on the margins of society, those who often find themselves on the brink of falling into a chasm but somehow manage to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
The Association’s Statement:
These are the people who have been left behind, with no chance of a better, more humane life. They are not truly cared for, and empty, meaningless—let’s be honest, deceitful—slogans have never filled the stomachs of any hungry Hungarian. Empty slogans will not move our country forward, nor will they improve the lives of the many who have been left to fend for themselves. We could say they have been left out of the social system, but that would not be entirely true. Because, in fact, a social safety net has long ceased to exist in this country. Poor, destitute, and needy Hungarians live as pariahs in their own homeland. We live in a country lacking solidarity, compassion, and empathy for our fellow man.
Seeing so many people in difficult situations, we often wonder where our supposedly Christian, family-oriented government is, and where the city leaders are. Perhaps if less public money went to elite private schools, more support could be given to those in need. It’s nice to hear that “Hungary is doing it,” but will the lines of people waiting for free food be shorter at Christmas, the season of love? We believe that fewer slogans and more well-fed people would be better.
But we are not here to complain; that is not our role, nor our “mission.” We do what our hearts and our own values demand. We read the comments, like “give a man a fish, don’t teach him to fish,” and other such wisdom. We know these things too. But if we just spouted such platitudes, then not a single hungry compatriot of ours would be fed.
Therefore, despite the cold, we welcomed our guests today, as we have done every last Sunday of the month since 2011. The first guests arrived an hour and a half before the start. By the end of the food distribution, all 150 servings of stuffed cabbage had been consumed. There was plenty of bread and pastries for everyone. Today we also served pizza, and for the first time, every guest received a muffin.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our supporters. A kind Debrecen family baked their own pizza, a local bakery donated bread, and a sweet elderly lady from Debrecen treated the children to candy. The Hajdúszoboszló branch of a Hajdúszováti bakery sent pastries and bread. We are truly grateful. The Kovács family from Hajdúböszörmény baked 150 muffins. It was no small task, and the adults and children thank them very much, they were delicious.
The association members will next welcome guests on the day after Christmas in Debrecen, on Petőfi Square. This will be our 15th Christmas together. If only for a short time, we would like to create a festive atmosphere and treat those for whom the holiday season is only about whether they have something to eat or if there is bread on the table. The children of poor families do not want shiny, flashy trees or expensive gifts. Their wishes are more down-to-earth: they would like to eat well every day, at least during the celebration of the Savior’s birth. Surely this is not a big wish in the 21st century, in the heart of Europe.
Our resources are limited. At Christmas, we can only accommodate 150 guests because our financial resources are scarce.
In recent months, unfortunately, there have been so many people waiting for lunch that we couldn’t provide a warm meal to everyone. It was heartbreaking for all of us. Unfortunately, nothing miraculous happened in the past period; no wealthy Debrecen entrepreneur contacted us to support the association.
Only “ordinary people” heard our request. Thanks to their donations of a few thousand forints and the contributions of the association’s members, we can provide our guests with a meal. There is not a single penny of public money in our account. There never has been.
Unfortunately, we are not wealthy people, so we can only provide food for a limited number of guests. We are forced to distribute numbers, so those who come late may not get food. It’s hard to process all this, but unfortunately, we can’t do more. We will do everything we can on our own at Christmas, but we would like the hearts of the people of Debrecen to be filled with warmth during the holiday season.
We sincerely turn to the citizens of the city to support us so that no hungry person from Debrecen goes home, at least not on Christmas, from Petőfi Square with an empty stomach. Believe us, giving is better than receiving. We believe that the strength of a city is truly shown by how it treats its marginalized members.
We call on everyone who wants to help, with their hands or with financial support:
We are waiting for donations from Debrecen residents, primarily NON-PERISHABLE FOOD – in unlimited quantities, fruits, potatoes, oil, cleaning products; We are waiting for sweets, cakes, and toys for children; We are waiting for offers and participation from Debrecen restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores.
It is truly Christian love to give selflessly and not expect anything in return. We ask for your support in a good and noble cause. Those who would like to help or provide support can call the following number: mobile (every day of the week): +36 30 9841 963 By bank transfer: Kéretlen Figyelem Debreceni Nők Közéleti Egyesülete account number: Polgári Bank ZRT 612 00261-11059802 Please write in the message: food distribution, 2024 For more information, please call +36 30 9841 963.
We take to heart what Pope Francis said: “A few feast in great abundance, while far too many people do not even have enough to live on.” We believe that in Hungary, which calls itself Christian, more and more people will hear and understand the Pope’s message and consider the just distribution of earthly goods to be an important element of social solidarity.
– Ibolya Kádár-Tukor, head of the association –
