Good news from Slovakia: Send a bag to seniors

Several initiatives have been launched in which we try to help one another during the coronavirus crisis.

The Bratislava Archdiocese Charity has recently launched the Pošli Tašku (Send a Bag) project to help seniors, who belong among the most endangered group.

To protect seniors and minimise the risk of them becoming infected, they offer the possibility of paying for their shopping, later brought by social workers and volunteers. If seniors cannot afford it, the charity offers a free bag from their own durable food supplies.

The charity encourages other people to inform them of lonely seniors or contribute to help the elderly. The phone lines operate daily between 9:00 and 15:00.

Apart from the capital, the volunteers offer their help in parish charities in Skalica, Senec, Šaštín and Modra. The project has been joined by other charities, such as Košice Archdioce Charity, Greek-Catholic Charity Prešov, Spiš Catholic Charity, Diocese Charity Rožňava and Diocese Charity Žilina.

How does it work?

• The charity contacts seniors.
• They talk to them and agree on a concrete form of help. There are psychologists and a priest ready for phone consultations.
• They agree on shopping intervals and places where they can leave the bags.
• They connect the seniors with volunteers who will bring their shopping.