The price increases hit families particularly hard. More and more people are dependent on help. The first day of school often means extra stress. A fundraising campaign is starting now!
Many students are still busy writing their Matura or their last schoolwork of the year. There is great anticipation for the well-deserved summer holiday. But for some parents, the thought of the new school year already brings beads of sweat to their foreheads. Tutoring during the summer holidays or the first day of school with the many new purchases brings families to the brink of financial ruin. The numbers also prove this.
Prices rose by 50 percent in some cases
School bags, notebooks and pens have become noticeably more expensive in recent years (see graph). For individual products you have to pay almost a quarter more than five years ago. And there are almost no upper limits when it comes to school bags, for example. Families already have to tighten their belts because of the extra costs or are dependent on assistance.
Young Viennese show solidarity
The first fundraising campaign ‘Solidarity sets a precedent’ is now starting in Vienna. The idea for this was developed by young people from Vienna themselves in the context of the Children and Youth Millions. “With the collection campaign, we are jointly creating more opportunities for all children and young people,” said Deputy Mayor Christoph Wiederkehr.
Donate school supplies
From now until June 24, well-preserved or new school supplies can be returned to two locations: Wienxtra-Jugendinfo (1st, Babenbergerstraße 1) and Wienxtra-Kinderinfo (7th, Museumsquartier 2).
Volkshilfe distributes donations
By the end of June, all donated school supplies will be distributed to needy students through the Volkshilfe district associations, making the expensive start to school significantly easier for many families. And the need is there. Experts assume that almost one in five children is already at risk of poverty. There seems to be no improvement in sight.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
