The charity is launching its 38th campaign and is expecting a complicated winter.
There were many people on Thursday, November 24, rue de la Saunerie, in front of the premises of the Millavoise branch of Restos du Cœur. The charity has just launched its winter campaign. Families or single people lined up to wait for some food.
In this cold window of precarity, the volunteers brought some warmth by comforting the welcome. “Some come for the first time. We serve them food and drink to calm them down. We discuss, we calm them down.”smiles Leo, a volunteer, coffee machine in hand.
Because the conclusion is the same everywhere. More and more people find it difficult to make ends meet and come to seek help from these humanitarian organizations. “At the moment we have 35% more registered than last year”specifies Hubert, member of Restos.
A number that could go up. “The season promises to be exciting. We expect to have more people, continues Pascal, also voluntarily. We want to be able to do our distributions properly, but we depend on what people give.” What’s more, to combat waste, supermarkets sell off the prices of products whose expiration date is approaching, encouraging consumers to buy. “For us there is less collection”Eliette blurts out.
But more will be needed before the Millavoise team gives up, determined to fully invest in this 38th campaign. Just like last year, two teams alternate on Thursdays and Fridays (10:00 – 11:30 and then 13:30 – 16:30) to welcome recipients by appointment registered in advance on the restaurant lists.
Registration takes place on the same days as the distributions, at the local car “we want to see people, it’s part of the tape. Registration is a powerful moment that allows discussion. We need to decipher their journey to direct them as best as possible”, notes Eliette. A titanic work done by small hands to bring some smiles to the most disadvantaged.
Preventive workshops
In addition to the many donations that the association offers – food, clothes, books – several prevention and information workshops are offered over the winter. A social security team to guide people about their rights, nurses coming to present the No Tobacco Month…
Yesterday, the Ruthenian association Stafett HIV held a permanent. “We do prevention, we distribute condoms, we also have rapid tests to diagnose HIV, hepatitis B and C.”, says Vladislav, a member of HIV Relay. This workshop will be offered once a month.
