Dutch charities unable to meet soaring demand for summer help as child poverty grows
With summer vacation now underway in all regions of the Netherlands, thousands of children living in poverty might be facing a long and difficult six weeks, NOS reports. While many families head off to France, Spain, or Italy, others are left without any means to go away—or even have a day out.
“The summer holidays are supposed to be fun,” Irene Boersma of the Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp told NOS. “But if your family can’t afford to go anywhere, six weeks is a very long time to be at home.”
According to the Dutch Red Cross, the poverty crisis in the Netherlands is worsening. “Poverty is deepening,” Red Cross director Harm Goossens warned two months ago. The Nationaal Fonds Kinderhulp has seen the same trend. “Back in April, we already saw a concerning rise in requests for help with basic needs,” said Boersma.
In response, the organization is distributing thousands of so-called Zomerpretpakketten—summer fun packages—for children in low-income households. These packages include items for personal care, clothing, and most notably, a voucher for a day at an amusement park.
“If there’s barely money for a bed or hygiene products, then there’s certainly no money for anything fun during the summer holidays,” Boersma told NOS. She added that the social toll on children is severe: “What we’re seeing more and more is shame after the holidays. When school starts again, kids return with stories about trips to France or Spain—but the children we support often have nothing to say.”
The number of Zomerpretpakketten has sharply increased. While 2,000 packages were handed out in 2018, this summer the number has risen to 7,500. “That’s our limit. Unfortunately, far more children are growing up in poverty,” Boersma told the newspaper.
Another charity, the Vakantiebank, arranges weeklong domestic vacations for families living on welfare. “We simply can’t meet the demand,” Pim Loeff of the organization told NOS. “If we had thousands more vacation spots available, they’d all be filled.”
Last year, about 700 families were able to go on vacation through the Vakantiebank. “This year we’ll be able to send just under 900 families on trips within the Netherlands,” Loeff added. “That gives a lot of children the chance to come back to school with a story of their own.”
The experience also has a lasting emotional effect on parents. “Taking your children on vacation boosts your sense of self-worth. It builds confidence,” Loeff told NOS. “The families we help live in deep insecurity, often dealing with multiple problems. A week away can give them an emotional boost that lasts for years.”
Local initiatives are also helping fill the gap. In Brielle, the annual Speelstad Brielle (Play City Brielle) has been sold out for 30 years straight. “And we don’t even advertise,” organizer Eveline Sandifort told NOS. For 11.50 euros, children can play there for three days. “But don’t be fooled—that’s still a lot of money for Food Bank clients,” Sandifort added. “Those children can come play for free.”
