For more than a year, a traveling bus from Restos du Cœur has been traveling to six villages in the north of the Dordogne to help the most vulnerable in rural areas. This help is fundamental for dozens of families in need, who would not necessarily go to the Restaurant premises several kilometers from their home.
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The 40th Restos du Cœur campaign was officially launched a few days ago, and it is also taking place in the shadows. This is the case in the north of the Dordogne where a itinerant bus runs three times a week to meet isolated beneficiaries, who cannot go to the association's premises.
For a year, this white truck has been stopping in certain rural areas. It is unmarked, without registration Restos du Coeur so as not to stigmatize people in need. In Mareuil-en-Périgord, a dozen families come to collect their packages regularly.
Among them, there is that of Stéphane Pichon, employee in mass distribution and father of two children. “Prices, electricity, everything has changed. But salaries are not increasing” he laments. This bus is “a good help“because he is present on site, close to home.”We do our shopping nearby, but the bare minimum. Without this bus, we wouldn't make it through the month. It would be very complicated.“
Three volunteers from Restos du Coeur organize the tours in six villages in the north of the Dordogne. Jean-Claude Martin is a multitasking volunteer: he drives this truck, welcomes the families and takes care of their follow-up. “From the moment a place is around twenty kilometers away (from the Restaurant premises)access becomes difficult for beneficiaries. So we go towards them” he explains.
Each tour represents tens of kilometers, “170 on Thursday” he specifies. His bus can even “send a team” to support a restaurant center in the department which would need occasional assistance.
This mobility mission is “important“for Jean-Claude Martin.”If we don't reach out to them, they are isolated in rural areas where they have little opportunity to access the help offered to them.“According to its figures, isolated beneficiaries”slowly but steadily increasing“. The volunteer also regrets the lack of “local volunteers in rural areas to provide support” to the traveling bus.
The Restos du coeur de Dordogne have a second truck, which serves the south of the department. These discreet means of support could increase the number of meals offered, which reached 163 million during the last 2023-2024 campaign.
