The president of the Indre Food Bank, Marie-Dominique Patureau de Mirand, knows that the issue of the collection organized since Friday June 14 and until this Saturday June 15 is crucial. “We have a 20% increase in beneficiaries and on average 20% fewer donations. »
A partnership with the Auchan brand therefore allows volunteers to organize a “flash collection” which aims in particular to receive donations of fruit and vegetables. “This is a time when our stocks are running low, there are a lot of fruits and vegetables in stores and everyone needs vitamins”, explains Marie-Dominique Patureau of Mirand. In the hypermarket gallery, the collection carts fill up throughout the morning, with a variety of donations. “We also accept dry foods and we tell people that even canned foods are very good, they also have nutritional values! »
Working hours transformed into volunteer hours
The collection also allows the Food Bank to make itself known. “We are never in direct contact with the beneficiaries”, recalls the president. The association ensures collections and supplies for 68 partners in the department: solidarity grocery stores, the Red Cross, Secours populaire and even the maraudes. “With 11,000 beneficiaries in total, we have no problem distributing fruits and vegetables in eight days. »
This Friday, June 14, more than 800 kg were collected and sorted. “There are as many people at the headquarters as at the collection. » These actions therefore require more volunteers and, in addition to members of the Food Bank or beneficiaries who participate in the long-term, employees of the BNP Paribas bank have come to support for the second year. “It’s a national partnership with the Food Bank. Our employees, on a voluntary basis, have the possibility of exchanging working hours for volunteer hours”explains Gaël Bannier, territory director at BNP Paribas.
Stocks to replenish
Within the limit of four hours per year, these employees therefore left their bank branches to come and help with collection. An initiative implemented in several companies. “During the November collection, there are also Barilla employees”, explains the president. The collections, apart from the national meeting at the start of winter, focus on specific products, depending on the partnerships, fruit and vegetables at Auchan and hygienic protection at E.Leclerc, for example.
The association thus hopes to enrich its stocks of these foodstuffs, which are expensive and not easily accessible, both for the beneficiaries and for the Food Bank. Especially since a permanence and direct distributions, boulevard d’Anvaux, are planned this summer.
