The municipality, its social centre, the National Agency for the Development of Solidarity Groceries (ANDES), the U and Carrefour Express supermarkets in Bruay-sur-l’Escaut, the Food Bank and the Le Gardin de Marianne integration project, from Min de Lomme (wholesale food market) have joined forces to launch the first mobile solidarity grocery store in Valenciennes.
By Patrick Frère (local press correspondent)
Reading time: 3 mins
Food aid for the most vulnerable, but not only
The development of this project aims to allow the inhabitants of the city encountering financial difficulties to eat properly by buying freely and at a reduced price food products for hygiene and maintenance.
A reception and exchange space
The grocery store aims to support anyone in financial difficulty and having been the subject of an exchange with a social worker from the CCAS or partners. It is also a welcoming space for conviviality and exchanges, favoring the quality of human relations, with the objective of bringing them out of precariousness.
Who can benefit ?
Access will be authorized for a period of three months, renewable three times. There are criteria to meet
: be Bruaysien for more than three months; be subject to a living allowance of between €6 and €12 per day and per person; be in an emergency situation following an accident or have a substantial savings plan established over a period of nine months, with a social worker.
A time of reception, exchange and social evaluation is therefore necessary to access the grocery store. Following the interview with the candidate, the CCAS social worker or one of its partners will compile a file. This will be studied anonymously by the commission of the social center which will decide on the legitimacy of the request, before its validation. This committee chaired by the mayor, Sylvia Duhamel will meet fortnightly. A frequency that may change depending on the number of files received and the capacity of the grocery store.
To start, from mid-January about fifty families will be able to be welcomed at the Epic’Sol solidarity grocery store. The solidarity grocery store will pass through three districts: at Pont de Bruay, in the south of the town, in the city center and in the north at Thiers. A schedule (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.), with passing times will be established in order to avoid queues.
How does it work ?
Each household has its own monthly amount. It is not possible to carry over to the following months. On presentation of his beneficiary card which will have been given to him during his first purchase, the beneficiary must pay between 10% and 30% of the value of the products purchased during checkout. No credit will be possible.
Maintaining social ties
After acceptance of the file, activities may be offered to the beneficiary within the grocery store or in partner structures. The beneficiaries will have their full place in the creation and implementation of these events. The contract for access to the solidarity grocery store must be signed.
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Continue reading on this topic(s):
Food Opening a business Social Society Poverty Social issues Bruay-sur-l’Escaut (59860, Nord)
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