The current situation is dramatic and difficult and affects the vast majority of our environment. Recession, unemployment, cuts and reorientation of many projects, plans and initiatives directly or indirectly affect the entire society. But no sector is more battered than the one comprised by the weakest from an economic and social perspective. Their social cushion is often so thin that it touches bone right away. So we must act without further delay.
For this reason, for the Municipal Government of Sitges supporting people is a top priority in its policy. We work shoulder to shoulder with the entities that make up the Third Sector to work on programs in the medium term, but also on immediate needs, such as the stoppage of an eviction process that we achieved a few days ago after tough negotiations with the bank involved.
And in this line, in recent months we launched projects that are already a reality and an invaluable support for a large numbers of residents in Sitges.The Blue Card and the Soup Kitchen are two good examples.
The Blue Card emerged in late 2012 as a project to award bonuses or reduced rates on public services to people with lower incomes or with a certain degree of mobility problems. The plan was expanded a short while after implementation, to include discounts granted by growing number of shops and companies to the same groups.
The Soup Kitchen, meanwhile, was a specific support for many residents with serious economic and social problems, allowing them to obtain specific answers to crucial needs such as daily food.
These two initiatives, together with the actions undertaken by Social Services, are a priority for the City Council. Daydreaming is not enough because there is too much at stake: there is poverty in Sitges, there are also people who suffer the crisis with extreme severity and our duty is to be at their side and at the same time, look for all the solutions at the reach of the City Council.
