The Secours populaire carried out a “
record
”
collection
of around 1.5 million euros for the benefit of the victims of the severe bad weather which grieved the Alpes-Maritimes three months ago, the association said on Wednesday.
"
We collected around 1.5 million euros, with the raffle organized by (the singer) Julien Doré but also the support of companies and individuals
", said during a press point the secretary general from the Alpes-Maritimes federation, Jean Stellittano.
Read also: Alpes-Maritimes: Christmas isolated from the battered valleys of Roya and Vésubie
These donations correspond to the average annual budget of his federation, recipient of multiple jackpots mounted spontaneously here and there in the aftermath of the disaster which left nine dead, nine missing and two billion euros in damage.
Julien Doré's online raffle brought in 932,470 euros.
“
Never have we had such high amounts for a raffle,
” said Stellittano.
He received Wednesday from Radio France an additional check for 22,110 euros, product of an auction of objects having belonged to sportsmen.
"
We are far from the mark because every day we discover new situations (...) The needs are at least two million euros for the next two years
", he judged, conceding that it is an estimate because there is no centralized list of victims.
More than 500 individuals have already received food or material assistance from Secours populaire to re-equip themselves with household appliances, pay for temporary relocation, an electricity bill, etc.
Entrepreneurs are also supported, a car garage, a blacksmith who was to buy an oven, etc.
"
The Secours populaire does not distribute money, it collects it (...) and it pays bills based on the identified needs of the people
", underlined Henriette Steinberg, secretary general of the national federation.
Unlike public aid or insurers, "
we do not look if this or that threshold has been exceeded but what must be funded so that life can resume
", she added.
It vouched for "
absolute traceability
" of all the funds collected: "
Each euro paid can be traced by the donor
".
The Alpes-Maritimes federation (14 employees, 2,100 volunteers) opened two new branches in Breil-sur-Roya and Saint-Martin-Vésubie, two localities very affected by bad weather, and hired three permanent staff to provide long-term assistance .
At the same time, two million euros in donations have flowed to the Nice Côte d'Azur metropolis and 2.8 million euros to the Departmental Council.