Alternative forms of poverty reduction: the new economy of pity. Inventory and exploration.

Since the end of the 20th century in German-speaking countries the emergence of a new system of poverty reduction can be seen: In addition to already existing closets and soup kitchens, which are known in segments of recent welfare states, new offers are created.  

The massive increase of the number of so-called “Tafeln” (which are organized in a national association, called “Deutsche Tafel e.V.”) is symbolic for this development. Since it was founded, the number of member organizations of local institutions has increased in a continuous way.
For 2010, it is reported that there are 900 local food banks, 159 in the largest state, North Rhine Westphalia. It is assumed that at least 1.3 million people visit the devices regularly.

The devices operate on the same simple principle: The "panels" collect private donations, unsaleable food in retail trade  and Wholesale and used goods and distribute them through volunteer or low-paid workers, in part, for a symbolic amount partly free, in local dispensaries to the poor.  

A basis of this form of the new poverty aid is to organize donations and a corresponding willingness to donate.

The basic assumption of the research project is that it does not concern punctual and temporary emergency assistance in these offers. In contrast, you can see that a new system of poverty reduction is established in addition to the existing welfare state system.
Although this new system of "compassion economy" has changed the public perception of poverty today and although it has massively increased, the question of what potential the fight against poverty has, stays unanswered.

For a proper answer to this question, you have to measure the figure of compassion economic offers systematically to examine the practice of poverty reduction.
The research project prepares a representative study about the use- and organization-structures of national offers. This survey will be supplemented by four exploratory case studies in two cities of the Ruhrgebiet.