The 40th Restos du Coeur campaign begins this Monday. In one year, the association distributed more than1 400 000 meal in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Last year the association was in a difficult financial situation. But today the bar has been raised, so that the thresholds and criteria for benefiting from this food aid have been broadened in order to to accommodate more beneficiaries. “People who come to register present their income and expenses. The income threshold was lowered this year taking into account inflation and growing poverty. We also take into account situations of poor housing in the calculation of aid distributed”, explains Marie-Christine Marret, manager of Restos du Coeur in the Pyrénées-Orientales.
THE single-parent families, who represent nearly a quarter of the beneficiaries, mainly women, will also see their reception strengthened in the centers. The food aid allocation scale will be more favorable to them than for a traditional family. Another priority for the association: early childhood. In the Pyrénées-Orientales, spaces dedicated to the youngest children will be set up in the distribution centers. Packages intended for toddlers will also be more diverse. “Until now it was mainly small pots of diapers, milk… now we add organic products, whole milk, fruits and vegetables that we didn’t give before.” During the last campaign, 4100 baby meals were distributed in the OPs.
The association is also calling for volunteers. In the department there are 570 who give their time, whether occasionally or several hours per week. With a view to extending the opening times of distribution centers, the association would need a fifty volunteers additional resources to strengthen teams.
