- Food aid associations in Toulouse saw their number of beneficiaries increase with the coronavirus crisis.
- To meet the needs of the most disadvantaged, Secours Catholique, the Food Bank and Restos du Coeur are organizing a daily evening meal distribution this summer.
- These associations are launching a call for volunteers for this operation, as well as for donations, which fell during the crisis when it generated an additional cost due to the health protocol.
The effects of the health crisis, the food aid associations of the Pink City did not wait for deconfinement to see them arrive. “We suspected that when the economy stopped, that some people on fixed-term contracts or with small jobs would find themselves unemployed, which was also the case for students. We saw people arrive that we were not used to seeing and many families for whom the closure of school canteens had an impact and created a budgetary imbalance, "explains Christiane Giovannini, president of Restos du Coeur at Haute-Garonne.
New beneficiaries who appeared in March. And who will always be there this summer, "because there is no truce for precariousness", as pointed out by the Restos, the Catholic Relief Service and the Food Bank. At the start of the crisis, these three associations served 300 meal packages, today this figure has risen to 500.
While the centers tend to close during the summer, they have decided to join forces to meet the demands that have been inflated in recent weeks. The Restos and Secours Catholique registered a more than 25% increase in the number of beneficiaries when the Food Bank, which supplies 120 associations, saw this figure increase by 60%.
From July 1, and during the two summer months, their volunteers will distribute nearly 600 meal packages each evening to those who need them at four identified sites. This campaign, called “Estival 2020”, had already taken place last year, with the support of the Toulouse University Hospital and the Toulouse City Hall.
Additional cost of health rules
But the Covid-19 crisis reshuffled the cards of this solidarity operation because of health constraints. “Since the beginning of the crisis we have spent 18,000 to 19,000 euros due to the crisis, it forced us to use trays and individual packaging to make packages, we are also forced to buy food products in individual boxes , as well as cutlery, napkins or even cups for coffee ”, notes Christiane Giovannini who calls for solidarity from communities but also from individuals whose donations have decreased in recent times.
Call for donations and volunteers
And if companies want to participate by giving hydroalcoholic gel or gloves, they are welcome. Because the rule is social distancing, like everywhere else. This also requires having a large number of volunteers, to avoid them being on several positions at the same time and contaminating a large number of people in the event of infection.
An appeal is therefore launched to all the goodwill who would like to give this summer a few hours or a few days of their time for a good cause by preparing or distributing meals (benevole.estival2020@gmail.com).
Toulouse
Coronavirus in Toulouse: In Bagatelle, associations struggling with the precariousness of new families
Nantes
Coronavirus in Nantes: With containment, the worrying figures of the use of food aid
- Eating from the heart
- food Bank
- Food aid
- Coronavirus
- Catholic Relief
- Toulouse
- Society