Madrid, Spain, Jan 29, 2009 / 19:06 pm
The Caritas office of the Diocese of Valencia has received numerous calls this week from married couples in the region who have offered to donate the money they planned to use for trips celebrating their anniversaries to help victims of the economic crisis.
According to the AVAN news agency, the couples expressed their desire to show solidarity by giving up a vacation in order to donate the funds for those who “especially at this time cannot even think about an activity such as this.”
Mari Luz Monzo, an official with Caritas Valencia, said such forms of expressing solidarity “are not common, but they are very valuable for helping those most in need.”
In the wake of the financial crisis, “the number of people requesting basic assistance to pay water bills, rent or avoid eviction has increased,” Monzo said, adding that “these kinds of donations are of great help.”