The government announced Thursday, April 23, to release an additional 39 million euros for food aid to the poorest, hit hard by the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic and containment measures.
These 39 million euros "will support associations and respond urgently to suffering territories," said Christelle Dubos, secretary of state for poverty reduction, at a press conference.
This amount is equivalent to one third of the annual budget usually allocated by the State to associations for food aid.
Maintaining food aid is not an option in the face of the # COVID19 crisis.
The @gouvernementFR announces today a support plan for food aid of 39 million €.
This plan is in addition to the remarkable action carried out by @J_Denormandie for homeless people. pic.twitter.com/NvyJRjoo2W
Since the start of confinement, 65 million euros have already been mobilized by the government in aid schemes for the homeless, for which 10,600 additional hotel places have been mobilized.
This new envelope of 39 million euros targets this time more particularly modest households, victims of a fall in their activity and their income due to the health crisis.
>> Read: Coronavirus: the question of inequalities exacerbated by the health crisis
A first tranche of 25 million will be distributed to associations in charge of food aid who have noted, in recent weeks, an increase in demand which they sometimes find it difficult to cope with.
2.9 million checks distributed in total
These 25 million "will finance purchases of foodstuffs, centralized by the State and on behalf of associations. They will also allow the direct purchase of foodstuffs by associations," said Christelle Dubos.
In parallel, 14 million euros will be distributed in the form of emergency food vouchers, in troubled areas in mainland France and in the overseas territories. Entrusted to the prefectures, these checks will be distributed by the Communal Social Action Centers (CCAS), for an equivalent of 105 euros per identified household.
"From tomorrow, the territories concerned will receive these first emergency food checks," assured Christelle Dubos.
>> To read: Covid-19: will ecology be sacrificed in the name of economic recovery?
In Seine-Saint-Denis, one of the poorest French departments, emergency food aid will represent 2.6 million euros and will benefit 25,000 households.
A total of 2.9 million checks will be distributed. They will be usable in supermarkets and will allow the purchase of basic necessities.
For the Outremers, 4 million euros will finance emergency aid for Mayotte, Guyana and Saint-Martin. This aid will take the form of emergency food vouchers (Mayotte) or food distribution (Guyana and Saint-Martin).
With AFP
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