Hereford Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 This year the annual food collection for Restos du Coeur will be this coming Friday and Saturday (7th and 8th). You will see volunteers in the supermarkets.Please give something if you can, however small, as everything will be used.Goods needed include tinned goods (veg or fruit), rice and pasta. All goods donated should have "use by dates" into 2015 please as the campaign lastes from December to March so this winter's session is nearly finished.The group we volunteer with are now giving 78 families (nearly 200 people) the ingredients for well over 1,000 meals a week. This from a catchment area of only around 10,000 people. Unemployment is high and need is great in rural areas.Thank you for reading this.Mrs H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Sadly this has become vital help for many people.You are doing tremendous work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Thank You Norman! I should have said that we have two British families this year and have had at least one for several years.Mrs H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yes, we have a resto in the town near my present home.When we were in the Charente M, we could see all the queues at the mairie on the designated dates.It's such an easy thing to do, just pick up a few things on your way round the supermarket.Nice reminder Hereford, I'd be sure to go to the supermarkets this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yes, my Rotary club is helping out our local (two) restos - as we do for each collection, and this year we will be joined by some of the local school kids, who want to become more involved. As I stand there with the trolley I think " if EVERYONE gave just "ONE" item, it would cost them not much at all, but would make so much of a difference to the final tally of food received. Restos is always extremely happy for us to help them, it means they can cover more outlets as they need fewer Restos volunteers there when we are there to help - there are several supermarkets within their catchment area, not to mention another restos in the larger town 20 mins away ... with even more supermarkets. The need is great in this relatively poor area.I was not able to help at the last collection in December, due to a flu-type bug I'd caught, so instead I donated rather more food than I would usually give. My "guilty" conscience of not being able to help was soothed, but with the result that more food was collected.Do please, all give something, no matter how small - it all goes to help those worse off than ourselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Well done Judith for helping out. The collection in December was unlikely to have been Restos du Coeur as we only do one a year in March. But the "banque alimentaire" have collections too (here they give out food in the summer when we have finished, but not so much or so often) or a special Christmas one that towns run.All the various collections need support sadly.Mrs H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I always put something (usually oil and coffee) in their collection bags.This year I offered (by email) eggs from our hens. I could have donated 4 dozen+ per week, but someone rang me back to say sorry, thanks for the offer, but they couldn't accept them unless the hens were checked by a vet. Fair enough I suppose, but I was disappointed.We've had nearly a dozen a day for the last 2 months. Other people are benefitting, but I would rather give them to the really needy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yeah, meanwhile my local Lidl have just put big signs up by their rubbish bins stating that all food thrown into the bins has been deliberately bleached to prevent it being removed and consumed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Supermarkets in the UK do that as well [:'(]There is mean and there is just downright, unspeakably nasty and kicking someone viciously when they are down...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 They're worried about being sued if someone gets ill from eating wasted food.But it is a terrible waste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Yeah, and it's such a simple matter for a poor person, who struggles to get enough to eat, to sue large supermarkets!Talk about David and Goliath... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 [quote user="Hereford"]Well done Judith for helping out. The collection in December was unlikely to have been Restos du Coeur as we only do one a year in March. But the "banque alimentaire" have collections too (here they give out food in the summer when we have finished, but not so much or so often) or a special Christmas one that towns run.All the various collections need support sadly.Mrs H[/quote]Mrs H, No we do it twice a year with Restos - and we (the club) have become their partner of choice in our town because we are so reliable. As far as it goes, it is a project the club initiated during our first year of operation in 2011/12, and we have done it twice a year ever since. Since we have several English members (as well as English speaking French members) we can often surprise the English shopping there (residents as well as holiday makers) with a good explanation of what is happening as they often ignore such events, not understanding what is expected of them. Once understood, they are usually very generous. I keep hoping for more recruits for the club from this intervention, but it hasn't happened yet - though I did get another English member when I shook a can in the same supermarket for Polio Plus (another long and ongoing Rotary project) shortly after our creation. It's always very satisfying to work with the Restos team who really enjoy working with us, as we with them, as well as seeing what pleasure we can give to those in need.It's really quite easy, just a bit of time (for me) , and for everyone who gives just a little bit extra on the housekeeping that week. For a great deal of pleasure and reward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 [quote user="Patf"]They're worried about being sued if someone gets ill from eating wasted food.But it is a terrible waste.[/quote]There was a recent tragedy in Spain where an entire family died after eating fish donated by a supermarket - plus the UK case where people were prosecuted after climbing into a secure bin area of Lidl to take food from bins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Good luck then tomorrow or Saturday Judith! We have been told that we have to sort donations into 17 different boxes this year and take some scales (people scales) to weigh boxes.I have been given a rather garish pink "tablier" to wear so that we can be seen. We give our lists to the customers in French or English as there are lots of Brits in our area.Thanks to everyone.Mrs H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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