Belgium's charity organisation 'Restos du Cœur' is launching its major annual food drive on Monday, they announced in a press release.
The initiative aims to collect six tonnes more of non-perishable goods and hygiene products than in 2024. This would enable the association to reduce the cost of purchasing goods – which has risen by 243.6% in one year.
"We have no choice but to compensate financially," said Frank Duval, President of the Fédération des Restos du Coeur Belgique. "The volume of goods purchased by the Belgian Federation of Restos du Coeur has risen considerably, from 41 tonnes in 2023 to almost 142 tonnes in 2024 – an increase of almost 244%. This financial burden heavily weighs our financial resources, threatening our actions."
Online collections are open until the end of March. On the ground, collection points will be set up on 7 and 8 March at the checkouts of 26 supermarkets. In 2024, Restos du Coeur distributed over 1.6 million meals in Belgium, 10,000 more than in 2023.
Based on data from the Belgian statistics office Statbel, the Restos point out that 18.2% of the Belgian population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2024, which comes down to more than 2.1 million people (almost one in five).
