Provided support to families regarding mental wellbeing, home schooling and possible financial aid

 

Kinga JOÓ
National Association of Large Families (NOE)

Families based on love and caring are able to help each other respect the rules which are designed to protect their health. The integrity and well-being of these communities guarantee that once the crisis is over, society and the economy can recover as rapidly as possible. The primary objective of the economy is none other than to ensure the welfare and proper functioning of families and thus society. This is why we must do everything we can now to enable families to concentrate on the new challenges and to protect them in these difficult times.

The NOE (National Association of Large Families in Hungary) has not stopped for a moment helping to boost society's immune system during the pandemic. Together with our employees and volunteers, we are doing our utmost to assist our members and all those in need.

Our local branches (more than 200 around the country) provide constant feedback from the ground on the mental well-being, possible financial difficulties and problems related to home schooling among our members. We send regular updates based on these reports to the relevant ministries and authorities.

Through our weekly newsletter, we keep our members (13 500 member families) updated, with special sections on family-related state acts, legal advice, donations (to give or to receive) and possible discounts.

We were happy to receive some significant charitable offers from companies, including disinfectants, vitamins and IT tools for those in need. Our members are also helping one another through our "angel post" service.

To commemorate "invisible = unpaid work day" (the first Tuesday in April), we arranged a photo contest encouraging families to portray moments in their lockdown life spent together.

In 2021, during the 3rd wave of the pandemic resulting in the 2nd general lockdown (starting beginning of March and ending gradually in April) our association provided help to families (not only member families, but all those reaching out to us) in 70 places around the country with services - as going shopping, going to the pharmacy for prescribed medication, online tutoring for pupils, online yoga classes - and with food and hygiene product donations. We were able to organize this "help by locals for locals" action very quickly based on our experiences from the previous months.

Work organisation