You are certainly familiar with the tradition of the Advent calendar, but have you ever heard of the “inverted” Advent calendar? The idea is simple: fill a food eating parcel or other little touches for the poorest people. This initiative, carried out in 2020 by two young women from Quimper, has now taken on a national scale. It is available in particular in Seine-Maritime.

In the agglomeration of Rouen, it is Edwige Blot, resident of Amfreville-la-Mi-Voie, who is organizing for the second consecutive edition this human and solidarity collection. Until December 18, 2021, it is responsible for collecting donations which will then be donated to local associations. This year, she was joined by Tiphaine and Mélanie, two other residents of Amfreville-la-Mi-Voie to carry out her mission.

Foodstuffs, hygiene products, warm clothes, etc.

“I got acquainted with this operation last year by chance, on social networks. I found the idea extraordinary, ”she explains. Motivated, she then joined the project and managed to collect nearly 560 gifts! “It was unimaginable. I was hoping for 50, no more! “

Non-perishable foodstuffs, hygiene products, warm clothes, blankets, chocolate, markers, notebooks, or any small thing, here is a non-exhaustive list of donations that you can make. The goal is to put a little of everything. For example, you can put 24 small gifts in a box to make like an Advent calendar. You can also find donation ideas on the site willforchange, which organizes the 2021 collection.

“When you make a donation, you must specify whether it is intended for a woman, a man, or a child, and specify the size if it is a garment so that the gift is distributed to the right person”, insists Edwige . And for the most motivated, it is also possible to personalize your gift, with beautiful packaging, and a little note for the recipient.

How to make a donation ?

If you would like to donate, just leave your gift at one of the collection points. For the moment, there are five in the agglomeration of Rouen, and they can be found on the willforchange site. One of Edwige, Mélanie and Tiphaine’s missions is to find collection points (shops, businesses, etc.) in order to facilitate donations.

The three volunteers then take care of collecting the gifts, before distributing them on December 18 to partner associations. “There is the food bank in my town, the popular relief, a home for women and children in Rouen. I also made donations last year to the students of Mont-Saint-Aignan, in difficulty with the health crisis, ”lists Edwige.

“People in difficulty don’t have the pleasure of unwrapping gifts. I think it is a beautiful chose to offer them this pleasure. It’s a moment of humanity, ”she confides, moved. Moreover, she will long remember her participation in a cast last year. “Seeing the smiles of children and parents is something beautiful. It is heartwarming ! ”

Has this article been useful to you? Please note that you can follow 76actu in the Mon Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.