Food banks in Finland are seeing a new kind of visitor: people who own their homes, drive cars and hold down jobs.

According to the Church Resources Agency (Kirkkopalvelut), the number of people seeking church-run charitable assistance rose by 40 percent last year.

Anita Salonen, a diaconal expert at the Church Council, said demand for economic assistance has risen markedly since changes to the social security system came into force at the start of 2024.

The distribution of food aid by the Church's diaconal services increased most sharply at the end of last year. Last December, diaconal organisations handed out more than 40,000 food parcels — twice as many as in December 2024.

A quiet expansion of need

A new development is that food aid is increasingly being sought by people who own their homes, drive cars and hold down jobs. Many have struggled for a long time to keep up with loan repayments before turning, often reluctantly, to charitable help.

"There are working families, working people living alone, and then those who have been reliant on social benefits for a longer period. The number of new clients is rising steadily. It's a trend seen across Finland," said Mari Kulmala of the Savonlinna Evangelical-Lutheran Parish.

Kulmala said she believes that people are increasingly aware of the assistance offered by church-run services. When individuals share their financial difficulties on social media, others are quick to advise them to seek help from their local parish.

Alongside the Church's diaconal work, financial aid and food assistance are also provided by organisations such as the Finnish Red Cross, Hope and a range of other charities.