Scandal surrounding the Regensburger Tafel: Ten weeks of closure causes a stir!

Scandal surrounding the Regensburger Tafel: Ten weeks of closure causes a stir!

There is currently a lot of excitement in Regensburg surrounding the local food bank, which has been closed for a full ten weeks since July 9, 2025. As the South German newspaper reports, the closure came as a surprise to many people in need, as there is usually only a four-week break during the summer holidays. The reasons are complex: They range from necessary roof renovations to a lack of employees, as many pensioners go on vacation during the school holidays.

Numerous voices from the city and non-profit organizations criticize the long pause. What is particularly eye-catching is the statement from SPD mayoral candidates emphasizing the impact on the needy population. Georg Forster, secretary of the board, sees the excitement as a “storm in a teacup”. Another explosive detail: Investigations are currently underway against the board's chairwoman for possible infidelity, which makes the situation even more complicated.

A sign of the fragility of the help system

Diocesan Caritas director Michael Weißmann emphasizes the difficulties caused by the closure. In a statement from the Caritas Regensburg It is emphasized that the closure creates a sudden gap in care for those in need in the region. Caritas plans to bridge this gap with food vouchers and hot meals in the emergency kitchen to support people while the food bank is closed.

Caritas has already recognized that many people in need do not know what support they can claim. Because of shame or ignorance, many do not resort to the counseling services that often offer valuable help. This is where Caritas should come in and convene a round table together with other organizations in order to quickly find solutions. Examples of successful help, such as debt counseling, show how important such support is.

Alternative routes to supply

How do you experience this situation as a person affected? Many Regensburg residents who regularly go to the food bank now have to look for other options. Georg Forster knows that most Tafel customers go on vacation themselves. Therefore, only a small proportion are dependent on help, which eases the situation somewhat, but does not solve the basic problem.

But not just the food bank itself, but the entire umbrella organization of food banks in Germany, represented by the Blackboard Germany, appears affected. More than 970 food banks that are active nationwide make an important contribution to social participation and the fight against poverty. The closure of a food bank has far-reaching effects on the local aid system and highlights the fragility of such social structures.

The food bank in Regensburg is scheduled to reopen on September 15th, although it remains to be seen whether further solutions can be found by this date so that those in need in the city are no longer left behind.