38th Restos du Coeur campaign » PACA’s economic and political newsletter
The deterioration of the situation of the most precarious is confirmed.
During our last annual campaign, which ended last March, we welcomed 1.1 million people and distributed 142 million meals over the year, thanks to the action of 70,000 regular volunteers and 27,000 occasional. The arbitration between accommodation, heating and food has become more and more complex for the most deprived people because the deterioration of the social situation of the people we welcome and which we already saw during our 37th campaign is accentuated. . The share of families welcomed to Restos vivants with less than half the poverty line (€551 per month) has jumped from 50 to 60%.
The first impacts of the inflationary crisis
And these already alarming figures do not take into account the first effects of the inflationary crisis which are already being felt; Since April 2022, we have experienced a very significant increase in attendance at our activity centers: +12% of people welcomed compared to the same period of the previous year. This crisis is also likely to have a lasting effect on the activity and resources of the Restos du Cœur (increase in the purchase prices of food and energy). This 38th campaign marks the return of the “scissors effect”: resources that are more difficult to mobilize when needs increase. The surrender of the French is therefore more essential than ever!
Support for early childhood, reinforced actions with the most disadvantaged
After strengthening our actions in the fight against the digital divide and isolation last year, we are going, thanks to our 400 “early childhood” spaces, which will make it possible to better understand our action for young children, so that minors represent nearly 40% of people welcomed at Restos and that there are approximately 110,000 children under 3 years old. More than one in four babies born into a poor family in France is welcomed at Restos. Faced with this, the association will complete and diversify the products and strengthen support for families. The Restaurants will also improve their food support by taking better account of the energy burdens that weigh on the people they receive and by emphasizing food quality and short and sustainable supply chains.
Encouragement of volunteering
Inflation, especially on energy, also has consequences for volunteers. Some are struggling to continue their volunteering even though the two years we have gone through (COVID, welcoming Ukrainians) have demonstrated how essential volunteering is to French society and to social cohesion. To respond to the problem of the most modest volunteers who are not taxable, we are asking the government to transform the tax reduction for waivers of travel expenses of volunteers into a tax credit. This measure would be fair, prudent, in the face of tomorrow’s challenges in terms of the most modest civic engagement.
The 38th campaign in the Bouches du Rhône
With the help of 1,650 volunteers, the Departmental Association of Restaurants du Cœur – Relais du Cœur des Bouches du Rhône remains more than ever mobilized to welcome and support all those who push the door of the 41 activity centers, will be met on the 5 schemes for people living on the street and at the Workshop Chantier d’Insertion Maraichage. We will be keen to continue developing actions aimed at covering needs as well as possible: in areas where the non-recourse to food aid is significant, with street audiences, to strengthen access to rights and with younger. The mobilization of all resources, volunteers, donations in kind or financial will be at the heart of the issues for the actions and will allow all the devices welcoming the public