Christmas is a time for family but for some it is also the loneliest time of the year.
An NGO working within the LGBTQ community is seeking to help ease some of that isolation by pairing people who have nowhere to go on Christmas Day with families willing to welcome a new face at the Yuletide table.
“We know people in our community who will be spending Christmas Day alone,” Eamonn Gomez, president of Allied Rainbow Communities, said.
“We feel it is our duty and sense of community to encourage unity, especially on this day.”
Five LGBTQ households have approached ARC and offered to host up to 11 people, community manager Clayton Mercieca said. The organisation has yet to receive requests from people looking for a friendly Christmas environment.
“Loneliness can often isolate someone to the point of not being aware of such initiative or feeling ashamed to reach out because of social stigma,” Mr Mercieca said.
People can end up alone at Christmas for a variety of reasons, he noted. “There are various reasons someone might lose ties with the biological family,” he added. “Some expats working in Malta don’t have the possibility of returning to their home country; others may not even have any families or friends left to turn to.”
Statistics suggest loneliness is a growing problem across the developing world and Malta is no different. Last Christmas, more than 400 people showed up for a Christmas Day lunch organised by Caritas and the Curia, more than double the number in 2016.
Figures tabled in Parliament also shed light on the problem, with Family Minister Michael Falzon telling Opposition MP Ivan Bartolo that 3,000 callers had contacted support line 179 just because they needed somebody to talk to.
Those wishing to be the guests of hosting families are being encouraged to contact ARC. The committee will be hosting six community members for lunch on Christmas Day. ARC is encouraging host families to get in touch and offer a place at their tables, be it for dinner, drinks or simply a coffee and a slice of cake in good company to those who would otherwise be staying home alone.
“We say there is no shame in meeting new people,” Mr Mercieca remarked. “It could be the start of something better.”
To sign up for the initiative, either visit www.gaymalta.com or call 9927 2999.