Survey on poverty among families with children: low-income families with children are forced to choose between basic needs – the Good Holiday Spirit campaign launches today
A survey by the Finnish Red Cross and the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL) highlights that low-income families with children are lacking basic necessities, and requests for help from these families to organisations are on the rise across Finland. The Good Holiday Spirit campaign, which kicks off today, is needed increasingly, even though this is now the 30th time it has been organised.
Low-income families with children are increasingly having to cut back on basic necessities and choose whether to spend their money on food, housing, medicines or clothes. This is evident from a survey carried out by the Finnish Red Cross and the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare amongst their own volunteers and staff as well as social and healthcare professionals during September and October.
The survey on poverty among families with children was carried out as part of the Good Holiday Spirit campaign, which launches today; the proceeds will be used to distribute food vouchers to 18,000 low-income families with children.
A total of 65 per cent of the Red Cross and MLL volunteers and staff who responded to the survey felt that poverty among families with children was evident, at least to some extent, in the situations of the families they encountered, while 32 per cent felt it was evident to a large or very large extent. Over half of the Red Cross and MLL volunteers and staff that responded had received requests for help from families during the past year, and in the open-ended responses, around one in five mentioned that requests for help had increased. Not a single respondent reported having noticed any positive change.
Over the past year, organisations have been asked most frequently for support with food, clothing and covering day-to-day expenses.
“The result of the survey is worrying. Families are increasingly turning not only to the authorities but also to organisations when seeking help with their basic needs. At the same time, the responses show that organisations have limited means of meeting the constant need for support,” says Head of Unit for Wellbeing and Health Kirsti Kuusterä from the Finnish Red Cross.
People finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet in several areas at once
The social and healthcare professionals, in particular, who responded to the survey felt that the situation for families with children had deteriorated over the past year. Families tend to cut back especially on the number of meals eaten by adults and make compromises on how healthy their diet is. People may also choose not to buy medicines. Unforeseen expenses, such as the holidays or a household appliance breaking down, can throw a family’s finances off course.
“The responses from professionals show that families are getting into debt because of their day-to-day expenses. Feelings of stress, shame and hopelessness are common, and also affect children. They narrow the vision for the future of children and young people from an early age," Kuusterä says.
Unemployment, simultaneous cuts to various forms of support and the general rise in the cost of living have all impacted the same families within a short space of time.
“In recent years, unemployment has been at a higher level than before, and there have been significant cuts to social security, which have reduced the incomes of low-income families with children and increased child poverty,” says Esa Iivonen, Director of Advocacy at the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare.
The Red Cross and MLL carried out the survey on poverty among families with children as two online surveys between 14 September and 4 October 2026. In total, 337 responses were received to the surveys.
- A total of 126 social and healthcare professionals who had distributed Good Holiday Spirit gift vouchers in 2025 responded to the partner survey. The respondents worked mainly in family counselling centres, child protection services and church diaconal work.
- A total of 211 volunteers and staff members from the Red Cross or MLL responded to the organisations’ internal survey. Of the responses, 43 were received from the MLL’s local associations and districts, and 168 from the Finnish Red Cross’s local branches and districts.
Responses were received from all over the country and from cities and towns of various sizes.
Good Holiday Spirit campaign organised for 30th time
The Good Holiday Spirit campaign is a joint campaign by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare and the Finnish Red Cross to help low-income families with children in Finland. The proceeds from the campaign will be used to distribute €70 food vouchers in the run-up to the holidays to families facing financial hardship, for example due to unemployment, illness or a crisis affecting the family.
The Good Holiday Spirit campaign will start on 13 November and continue until 24 December. The campaign will take place for the 30th time in 2026. This year’s fundraising target is around 1.2 million euros, and gift vouchers will be distributed to 18,000 low-income families with children across Finland. The campaign is carried out in partnership with K Group grocery shops and Lidl.
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The Good Holiday Spirit Collection
