From this winter, we are going to strongly strengthen our support for toddlers, but also for single-parent families, by providing responses as close as possible to food and material needs, but also to social ties and integration.
declared the president of Restos du coeur Patrice Douret.
To vote, use the window below or click on this link.
Over time, the public met by the association founded by Coluche in 1985 has diversified. The number of families has notably increased, particularly single-parent families who represent a quarter of beneficiaries. Last year, the association welcomed a total of 128,000 children under the age of three, a figure up 1.6%.
This is a reality that we can no longer accept
insisted Patrice Douret, who called on the government to support associations fighting against poverty, in difficulty since the inflationary shock
in particular by implementing 0% VAT for their purchases.
On the occasion of the launch of this campaign, the president of Restos received the Prime Minister in an ephemeral marquee of the association, installed in Gennevilliers, north of Paris, as was the case 40 years earlier. Michel Barnier returned to France's delicate financial situation: We must reduce this debt. But I don't want this effort to affect the most vulnerable
. He also assured that he would not let not reduce the solidarity budget
.
Back in the green
The Restos du coeur, which provide 35% of food aid in France, went through a delicate phase financially but 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 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, to which the French responded.
Restaurants were no longer able to cope with the influx of people coming to them, in a context of rising operating costs. In addition, for the first time in their history, they had to lower the income level that qualified for food aid, which led them to refuse 110,000 people during the 2023-2024 campaign.
1.3 million beneficiaries
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.
What will happen tomorrow when all the indicators show that since 2020 the situation is getting worse?
worried the president of Restos du coeur.
During the last campaign, 70% of people welcomed by the association lived on less than 600 euros per month, an increase of 10 points compared to the previous one.
The families who knock on the doors of the Restaurants initially are because they are hungry, but we also try to find solutions to help them escape from precariousness.
testifies Murielle Dappe, 62 years old, volunteer within the association for seven years.
In particular, the Restaurants offer workshops in their various reception centers to help with job searches, support with administrative procedures and even computer courses.
In France, more than nine million people live below the poverty line, or with less than €1,216 per month, according to the latest figures from INSEE for the year 2022. This represents 14.4% of the population. .
