All low-income individuals can receive food and hygiene packages in Preiļi Municipality

With the aim of increasing the number of people eligible to receive assistance from the European Aid Fund, amendments to the legislation were made at the end of last year, providing for a higher income threshold for eligibility to receive packages. In Preiļi Municipality, all low-income individuals or families can receive food and hygiene packages, as the income threshold has been set at up to 215 euros per person per month, instead of the previous 188 euros. Whereas previously hygiene and household products could be received only by children under 18, as of this year they may also be received by all adults. To make the assistance more targeted, it has been established that families with children up to 12 months of age may choose one of the hygiene-product packages—with nappies for children weighing from 5 to 9 kilograms or from 7 to 18 kilograms.

Low-income families and families in crisis situations will continue to receive products from the European Aid Fund as before. Data for January this year show that 241 residents of Preiļi Municipality have valid low-income status, while 34 residents have low-income status under the higher threshold; the latter figure has increased considerably because people are interested in receiving the packages.

As before, the food package contains oat flakes, pasta, whole-milk powder, wheat flour, mashed potatoes, semolina, buckwheat, canned stewed pork and beef, rice, rapeseed oil, as well as egg powder and sugar.

The hygiene and household-products package contains liquid soap, shampoo, toothpaste and a toothbrush, universal laundry detergent and washing powder for coloured laundry, as well as dishwashing liquid.

The packages can be collected by presenting the original certificate issued by the Welfare Administration confirming eligibility for low-income status,  from Monday to Thursday between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon in Preiļi, at the Welfare Administration office, from records clerk Aija Lozda.

Distribution of the packages began in 2015. In March last year, L. Pastars, director of the Welfare Administration, signed an agreement with the Society Integration Foundation stipulating that supported activities in Preiļi Municipality would be implemented until 31 March 2021. This initiative is successfully coordinated by Irēna Stašulāne, deputy director for social affairs, who announced that in 2018 a total of 2,474 food, hygiene and educational-supply packages were distributed.