A nightmarish night. The six trucks of the Banque Alimentaire du Gard were destroyed in a fire on the night of Wednesday 27 to Thursday 28 November 2024. An investigation is underway to determine whether this fire is of criminal origin: the fire broke out shortly after midnight in the closed parking lot of the association's site located on the Nîmes station market. Since then, a tremendous outpouring of solidarity has made it possible to very quickly “relaunch the machine”. But several tens of thousands of euros are still missing so that the Banque Alimentaire du Gard can see the near future more calmly.
A truck given, another lent, others will follow
For the moment, activity has resumed normally. The Gard Food Bank rents four trucks. Another was lent to him, and the butcher shop Sollier actually offered a truck also.
The Food Bank rents four trucks, and the insurance covers this rental for ten days. But temporary solutions must make it possible to avoid extending these rentals and these costs. The Banque Alimentaire du Bas-Rhin will lend two trucks, the Banque Alimentaire de la Meuse will also provide a vehicle for a long term. And the Gard Red Cross also made a refrigerated truck available.
Fourteen communities of communes of the department joined forces to pay 100,000 euros. Causses Cévennes Aigoual has just joined, this Monday, the first thirteen who had already committed. Town halls have also made financial donations; notably the municipalities of Beaucaire, Aramon and Pujaut.
For their part, Crédit Mutuel Méditerranéen and Caisse Fédérale de Crédit Mutuel are mobilizing and announcing an exceptional donation of 50,000 euros to the NGO.
Still missing, obviously, is the upcoming reimbursement of assurances. The expertise is in progress.
Prize pools
Several prize pools are open: that of the Gard Food Bankwhere just over 7,000 euros were raised. At the national level, another subscription is launched with the NGO's major patrons.
And initiatives are also multiplying. This is the case, for example, of theUSAM Nîmes Gard. On the occasion of the Coupe de France match this Tuesday, December 10 against Montpellier, in Parnasse (Nîmes), the Nîmes handball club is organizing a raffle; All proceeds will be donated to the Gard Food Bank.
