French charity more in demand than ever this Christmas

The charity Les Restaurants du Coeur, or restaurants of the heart, has become a fixture of the holiday season in France. Advertisements announcing its annual winter fundraising campaign seem synchronized to appear along with December’s first snowflakes. But weeks before the media blitz, the “Restos du Coeur” are already busy giving away groceries and serving up hot meals in hundreds of centres across the country. Twenty-five years after its founding, the group continues to provide food to France’s neediest–amid concerns that their number continues to grow.

In France’s 15th arrondissement, a chocolate maker on Rue de Vaugirard sets up lavish window displays in preparation for Christmas: dark chocolate bears climbing pyramids made of cocoa bricks and offering each other tiny lavender-coloured gift boxes. Less than two blocks away, a nondescript door leads people away from the chocolate fantasy nearby and into a large former warehouse. Inside, food staples like milk, butter, canned tomatoes, eggs and pasta are laid out on long rectangular tables. A group made up mostly of women sits patiently on wooden benches. The Restaurant du Coeur’s food distribution centre in the 15th is considered one of the best: here you can drink coffee while you wait inside. At all the other centres in Paris, long queues snake out into the cold.

Last winter Marc Esclapez and his busy team of a dozen volunteers welcomed, on average, 800 needy families per week. “For many years we’ve seen a rise in the number of older and retired people who come to the centre. But in the past two years we’ve seen a lot more young couples and young, single people,” he explained. The Restos du Coeur’s national leadership says that the number of people who have turned to it for help has increased 20 percent in the past two years and that it expects to attend to a record number of people this winter.

Funnyman has “a little idea”

Restos du Coeur’s continual expansion would likely have troubled its founder. The famed French comedian Michel Colucci, better known as Coluche, launched the charity organization after getting “a little idea” in 1985. “If there are people interested in sponsoring a free soup kitchen, we'll start first in Paris and then spread to France's big cities,” he told French radio at the time. The “idea” was not supposed to become an institution. Coluche viewed his project as a temporary measure, insisting that hunger should not become a common feature of French society.

In its first year the organization served 8.5 million meals with the help of 4,500 unpaid helpers. A generation later, the “Restos” provide more than 100 million meals each year and can call upon 58,000 part-time volunteers. The group is active in every French department.

Coluche also began the Restos with a little help from his artist friends, and star power has remained a key element of the organisation’s now famed winter fundraising drive. In an effort that resembles the Christmas campaigns sponsored by the UK charity Group Crisis, singers and celebrities combine their talents to produce a music album under the band name Les Enfoirées (The Fools). Proceeds from album sales along with concert tour help Restaurants du Coeur meet its food-giving objectives.

But the organisation begun by Coluche depends on the French government and the European Union for money, and is expressing concern over diminishing funds from both bodies at a time when demand for food assistance is at its peak. In a November press release, Restaurants du Coeur sounded the alarm over the pending reform of Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2013, saying changes could drain millions of euros from its ledgers in coming years.

While the organisation’s leadership worries about its prolonged mission and future funding sources, new faces continue to show up at the “Restos” every day. Back at the centre in the 15th arrondissement, Miriam, who is going through a divorce, has come to fill her shopping cart for the first time. “It saves us, so we can feed our children. It helps us when we’re going through trouble,” she explains, speaking for herself and her sister Nadia, who is sitting next to her. Asked how she heard about the Restaurants du Coeur, Nadia produces a resigned smile: “I used to be a volunteer at the centre in [the Paris suburb of] Ivry. Now I come for food.”

HOLIDAY CHEER AND CHARITY: FRANCE'S "RESTOS DU COEUR" TURNS 25 A food distribution centre run by the charity "Restaurants du Coeur" (restaurants of the heart) in Paris's 15th arrondisement. The charity aims to help feed those in financial hardship. Its winter drive has become a fixture of France's holiday season. (Photo: J. Bamat) Marc Esclapez, the centre's manager, and his team of volunteers helped feed an average of 800 families per week in 2009. Restaurants du Coeur also runs soup kitchens and adult education centres across France. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Lucas Michel, 53, has been coming to "Restaurants du Coeur" for three years. The "Restos" turned 25 years old this year. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Lucas says that after paying all his bills he has just 160 euros to live on each month. "If it wasn't for the Restos I would have nothing to eat." (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Beneficiaries of the centres have to meet certain criteria to qualify for the charity’s help. They first must register with the charity and then bring their ‘membership’ card every week to obtain the groceries. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Volunteers Ginette and Robert explain to a woman that she does not have the necessary paperwork to benefit from the centre's help. Only residents of the 15th arrondisement can get food here. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Annick has been a volunteer at the centre in the 15th since it opened six years ago. Famed French comedian Coluche (poster) founded the "Restos" in 1985. He died less than a year later, but his image remains at the heart of its fundraising efforts. (Photo: J. Bamat) Joel has been a volunteer for two years. "I like it here, there's a good feeling among the volunteers." (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Volunteers Annick and Joel with centre regular Lucas. "Restaurants du Coeur" had 58,000 volunteers and offered assistance to 830,000 people last year. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Joseline, a volunteer for the past two years, serves coffee. In this centre people can stay inside while they wait to collect their groceries. In other centres in Paris people must queue outside in the cold. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Eggs, milk, cocoa powder. Some of the groceries provided. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) A fresh delivery of fruits and vegetables arrives. The number of people who have turned to the "Restos" for help has increased by 20 percent in the past two years. (Photo: Joseph Bamat) Three women and their children leave after collecting their groceries for the week. "Restaurants du Coeur" expects to attend to a record number of people during this year's winter drive. (Photo: Joseph Bamat)