Successive crises and rising poverty are severely affecting the most vulnerable households. Millions of people rely on food aid, and this number continues to grow. A lack of information and access to these services can have dire consequences. That is why the Solinum association has set out to centralize all food aid in France on Soliguide, a solidarity platform that lists services for people in precarious situations.
In France, 9.2 million people live below the poverty line, representing 14.6% of the French population*.
Successive crises have led to a sharp increase in the number of people relying on food aid. This number rose by 20% in 2020. It is estimated that approximately 7 to 8 million people currently rely on food aid**.
Lack of access to healthy, sufficient food leads to numerous risks, particularly regarding health due to nutritional deficiencies. It also poses risks to social integration: how can you focus in class if you have skipped a meal? How can you think about your professional development when you are hungry?
Finally, food insecurity fosters isolation due to the shame of being unable to feed oneself, paving the way for social exclusion***.
Many organizations and local authorities are taking action, thanks to the efforts of thousands of volunteers. This aid takes many forms: street food distribution, distribution of food parcels, access to social and solidarity grocery stores that sell goods at reduced prices, community kitchens, community gardens, shared kitchens, food vouchers, and more.
However, not everyone is aware of these services. The challenge is to centralize this information, keep it up to date, and make it widely known so that potential beneficiaries can take advantage of it.
Since 2017, the Solinum association has managed Soliguide : the leading solidarity guide in France, which lists all services useful to people in precarious situations.
The guide is available via a web platform, a mobile app, and printed lists in 25 French departments. It covers all areas of social support, from emergency services (food aid, healthcare access, supplies, drop-in centers) to socio-professional integration (French classes, employment support, access to rights, etc.). The tool is used by social work professionals and volunteers. It has facilitated over 710,000 searches since January 2022.
Faced with rising poverty, especially since the health crisis, searches on Soliguide regarding food have skyrocketed, highlighting the extent of food insecurity. While the tool is expanding rapidly (25 departments to date), it does not yet cover the entire French territory. Yet, requests, particularly for food aid, are pouring in from every department.
Solinum’s goal is to map all food aid in France to provide access to the millions of people living in precarious situations. Anyone in severe difficulty in France could be directed to the food aid best suited to their needs, wherever they are. As for solidarity organizations, they could have a daily tool to make their referrals more efficient, save time, and coordinate better. As for local authorities, they could benefit from an exhaustive and up-to-date database to conduct territorial assessments and adapt their policies to the needs of their regions.
More information at soliguide.fr.
