For this new campaign, the association founded by Coluche in 1985 plans to “prioritize the most vulnerable groups, in particular single-parent families and children under three years old”.
Priority to babies and single-parent families: Restos du coeur are launching their 40th food distribution campaign on Tuesday, November 19, after having regained better financial health thanks to the generosity of the French. For this new campaign, the association founded by Coluche in 1985 plans to “prioritize the most vulnerable groups, in particular single-parent families and children under three years old”its president, Patrice Douret, told AFP in October. Over time, the public met by the association has diversified and the number of families has increased. Among the beneficiaries, a quarter are single-parent families.
On the occasion of this launch, Patrice Douret will welcome in the morning the Prime Minister Michel Barnier and the Minister of Solidarity Paul Christophe, in an ephemeral marquee of the association located in Gennevilliers, north of Paris, like the one which hosted the very first campaign. For the next one, “we will be able to reopen a certain number of taps in our social actions”without however “regain a level of activity comparable to that of 2022, Patrice Douret recently warned. “We remain extremely reasonable and cautious about what we commit to, because we are not immune to a new crisis.”
The Restos du coeur, which provide 35% of food aid in France, have found a little fresh air. Their accounts are finally in the green: they generated a surplus of 22 million euros for the 2023-2024 campaign, while they initially expected a deficit of 35 million euros. At the start of the 2023 school year, the association sounded the alarm, warning of its financial fragility. Its president then launched an exceptional appeal for donations. The French responded, contributing 32 million euros. The family of Bernard Arnault, owner of the world number one luxury brand LVMH, had contributed 10 million euros and the State, which already usually provides 15% of the association’s budget, 8 million euros.
110,000 people refused in 2023-2024
The restaurants were no longer able to cope with the influx of people coming to them, in a context of rising operating costs due to inflation. In detail, the association is facing the rise in energy prices which increases its logistics costs and the increase in food prices, which has forced it to double its food purchasing budget, expected at the same level next year (more than 110,000 euros). In addition, for the first time in their history, the Restos du coeur had to lower the income level which entitled them to food aid, which led them to refuse 110,000 people during the 2023-2024 campaign.
However, they welcomed 1.3 million beneficiaries, as many as during the previous campaign. The association distributed 163 million meals, the second largest figure achieved after the 171 million of the previous campaign. She is worried about the extent of precariousness in France. More than nine million people live below the poverty line, or with less than 1,216 euros per month, according to the latest figures from INSEE for the year 2022. This represents 14.4% of the population.
