“Today we no longer have the right to be hungry or cold”.
In 2021, more than thirty-six years after the creation of Restos du cœur, we are still obliged to sing this chorus.
Fortunately, initiatives to support the work of the charity have never stopped.
Like Pocket, the publisher of paperback books, which has been publishing, for eight years,
13 à table
, a collection of unpublished news, all of the proceeds of which are donated to the association co-founded by Coluche.
The little book will be released on November 4.
Read alsoRestos du cœur collected 7,800 tonnes of food, an "exceptional" result
Only the subject changes: the 2021 edition addresses the theme of vacation memories.
The collection is titled
13 à table !,
but there are fifteen writers to have participated in this good deed.
Let us quote them all: Tonino Benacquista, Françoise Bourdin, Marina Carrère d'Encausse, Jean-Paul Dubois, François d'Épenoux, Karine Giebel, Marie-Hélène Lafon, Alexandra Lapierre, Cyril Lignac, Agnès Martin-Lugand, Étienne de Montety, François Morel, Romain Puértolas, Tatiana de Rosnay, Leïla Slimani.
Beautiful people.
Riad Sattouf joined them to illustrate the cover with his famous character Esther.
Each copy, sold for five euros, represents four meals.
The first seven collections thus made it possible to distribute nearly six million meals.
875,000 people welcomed, 40% minors
Pocket's initiative contributes to the mission of Restos du cœur: for the 2019-2020 season alone, the association distributed 136.5 million meals.
These are 875,000 people welcomed including 30,000 babies.
40% of them are minors.
The Covid has wreaked havoc everywhere and also among young people.
Read alsoOcéane and Mehdi, students, are forced to appeal to the Restos du Cœur
It should be remembered that the Restos du cœur carry out a variety of actions throughout France thanks to 75,000 volunteers.
These actions take several forms.
Food aid is the best known, but the association also offers accommodation services, assistance for professional and social reintegration (integration work, language courses, IT, etc.) as well as fun and cultural events such as book distributions, sports activities, cinema trips and holidays organized by the association.
Actions in rural areas
As explained in Restos du cœur, the need for food is, most of the time, accompanied by other needs. It is therefore important to come to the aid of people in different ways, as shown by the plurality of actions carried out. Faced with problems such as isolation, which is accentuated by the increase in poverty (nearly 15% of the French population lives below the poverty line in 2020, according to an INSEE study), the Restos du cœur must adapt. They therefore have the ambitious plan to double their number of itinerant centers in order to renew a link with isolated people, particularly in rural areas. To carry out these actions, the association needs funding. Currently, almost half of financial resources come from donations from individuals,30% of subsidies (French and European) and 9% thanks to the Enfoirés (shows, records). On November 23, the 37th Restos du cœur campaign will begin, followed at the end of the year by a call for donations, and with the approach of the presidential election, by the questioning of candidates on social issues.
