The Somme Food Bank opens its doors to the public this Wednesday

And if you came and discovered the Somme Food Bank ? The association, like all those in the network in France, opens its doors to the public this Wednesday, October 16 to celebrate 40 years of its creation. The date was not chosen at random: it is world food day. The opportunity to remember that even after four decades of existence, the Food Bank is still essential in helping thousands of families to feed themselves.

A number of beneficiaries still increasing

“What hasn’t changed in 40 years is growing precariousness”deplores Gilles L’Hermite, the president of the Somme branch, located in Longueau. “People have been investing in the fight against poverty for years and we are not getting out of it. I still have several requests pending from associations who want to work with us, with people in situations of poverty behind us. precariousness.” Currently, the Somme Food Bank collects and distributes between 1,500 and 2,000 tonnes of food each year, shared between 65 structures (Red Cross, CCAS and associations), which allows to help between 10,000 and 12,000 beneficiaries.

The warehouse, installed at the Pôle Jules-Verne in Longueau, sees 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of foodstuffs pass through each year. © Radio France –
Chloe Martin

An increasing number, with the arrival of new audiences. “For several years, we have had students. And we always have single people, single-parent families, retirees, and then also people who work but who can no longer make ends meet”explains the president of the association.

The Food Bank faces the volunteer crisis

Faced with these needs, volunteers are needed. Around thirty help manage the warehouse, alongside the seven employees, but that is still not enough. “We are facing a volunteer crisis, particularly with management functions. If I could recruit half a dozen additional volunteers, that would be great”estimates Gilles L’Hermite.

Gilles L'Hermite, the president of the Somme Food Bank, also hopes to recruit new volunteers. — Gilles L’Hermite, the president of the Somme Food Bank, also hopes to recruit new volunteers. © Radio France –
Chloe Martin

He hopes that some will attracted thanks to open doors. “Food banks suffer from a small media deficit. We are the most important of the large networks (Red Cross, Secours populaire and Restos du Cœur), but we are far from being the best known. We precisely need to make ourselves better known, for the general public to discover what we do, how we do it, why we do it.”

For those interested, meet this Wednesday, October 16, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at Pôle Jules-Verne, 16 avenue du Great Eastern in Longueau.