In financial difficulty, the Restos du Coeur have resigned themselves to reducing the number of beneficiaries of their food aid this winter, the president of the association announced on Sunday, September 3.

“It’s really heartbreaking, but we’re going to have to massively say no to people we could have taken in before inflation and we’re going to have to reduce the amount of what we give to people who fit our criteria,” detailed Patrice Douret, president of the association created in 1985 by Coluche. He estimates that around 150,000 people will have to be turned away. “Today, we are not strong enough to absorb the flow of people who need food aid,” explains Patrice Douret. “If nothing is done, we could have to close within three years. »

Restos du Coeur finds itself in the red due to the “very significant increase” in the number of people seeking help and an “increase in its operating costs”, due to inflation.

Guest of the 1 p.m. newspaper of TF1, Mr. Douret launched “an appeal to the political and economic forces of our country” for the “launch of a food emergency plan”. “We are not heard enough or taken seriously enough (…) but the dikes are breaking.”

“Extremely complex” situation

The association has already welcomed 1.3 million people in 2023, compared to 1.1 million for the whole of last year. And in recent months, its budget for food purchases, then redistributed free of charge to beneficiaries, has “doubled”. Faced with this “extremely complex” situation, the Restos du Coeur decided to reduce their number of beneficiaries.

The association, which expects to serve 170 million meals this year, compared to 140 million in 2022, provides regular assistance to people in need, depending on how much is left to live. Its amount to be eligible will be revised downwards, says Patrice Douret, without giving specific figures.

Despite this measure, the association needs an additional 35 million euros to end the financial year in balance. “We are calling for a massive mobilization of the political and economic forces of this country to help us take this step,” says Patrice Douret, who also expresses his anger. “We have been alerting the government to this situation for months, we have not been heard enough. »

The Restos du Coeur, which provide 35% of food aid in France, have an operating budget of around 200 million euros per year. Resources that come from private donors, companies, as well as public aid from the State and the European Union.

LFI will submit “a food emergency plan”

Sunday, the call of the president of the association was relayed by the oppositions of left and right. On the side of La France insoumise (LFI), the head of the deputies, Mathilde Panot, affirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that her party would file “a food emergency plan in the very next few days”. “And everywhere in France, the ‘rebellious’ will organize food collections, the proceeds of which they will donate to humanitarian associations,” she added.

On the right, the president of the Hauts-de-France region, Xavier Bertrand (Les Républicains), agreed with Patrice Douret: “We need a food emergency plan! “. “The Hauts-de-France Region will be there for the Restos du Coeur call”, he promised on the social network.

On the National Rally side, the blame is placed on “those who have governed us for so long”: “Their responsibility is immense. Today they shed crocodile tears! “, launched on X the vice-president of the National Assembly, Sébastien Chenu.