Like every year during the last weekend of November, Food Banks organize a national collection in stores. The 40th operation of its kind takes place from Friday November 22 to Sunday November 24.
Throughout France, volunteers in orange vests will appeal to the generosity of the general public in order to supply a network which has played an essential role in food aid in France since 1984.
► An initiative born from a column in “La Croix”
Food banks were born forty years ago following the publication in The Cross from the platform of a nun, Sister Cécile Bigo, March 13, 1984. “Who is the genius person who will emerge and have enough cleverness to set up, with others, the process of quickly and efficiently recovering food before it is thrown into our trash? “, she had written.
Cécile Bigo then contacted Bernard Dandrel, head of Secours catholique in Paris. Inspired by the model of American Food Banks, this former banker then created the first Food Bank in France in Arcueil (Val-de-Marne), with five associations (Secours catholique, Emmaüs, Salvation Army, Entraide d’Auteuil and Entraide Protestant).
► 10,121 tonnes collected in 2023
In 2023, the national collection made it possible to collect 10,121 tonnes of food from stores, an increase compared to the previous year (9,500 tonnes).
The main supply chain, however, remains mass distribution, which offers products that have been taken off the shelves – often because the sell-by date is too short – but which remain consumable. Every day, more than 7,000 volunteers visit 2,800 stores to collect these foods and avoid food waste. This represents 44% of the products redistributed.
The network has also signed agreements with agri-food manufacturers, the agricultural sector and collective catering. Furthermore, the European Union and the State participate in these supplies via specific financing, which makes it possible to purchase products.
► More than 6,000 distribution locations
Food banks do not directly distribute products to aid recipients. They provide partners free of charge, who ensure this distribution in the form of packages, baskets or meals. These can be fresh, canned or frozen foods.
In 2024, this network includes more than 6,000 social organizations having signed a partnership agreement: independent associations or members of large charitable networks, social grocery stores and municipal social action centers.
► 2.4 million people helped
The activity of Food Banks makes it possible to support 2.4 million people in situations of food insecurity supported by this network of partners, a figure which has been increasing steadily in recent years.
According to the National Federation of Food Banks, the number of people supported increased by 34% between 2020 and 2023.
► A national and European network
Food banks are today organized into a national federation, which brings together departmental or regional structures. This network covers the entire territory, including overseas: there are 79 food banks and 31 local branches.
Food banks have been developed in 24 European countries. The latter are united within the European Federation of Food Banks.