Lille opens solidarity grocery store for poorest citizens

News

Lille has opened a solidarity grocery store at the Old Lille community centre to help residents who are struggling to make ends meet.

City authorities headed by Mayor of Lille Martine Aubry pointed out that the community centre serves as a solidarity grocery store one afternoon each week and noted that 13 such stores operate in the city.

Community centre director Jean-François Accart noted that many students visited during the lockdowns, largely to drink coffee and access the Internet.

“We saw that many of them were experiencing difficult financial realities and looked for ways to help them,” he added, pointing out that this is how the store opened.

The store offers food and personal hygiene items at significantly reduced prices to people in difficult financial situations, with city authorities pointing out that it is open to people of all ages.

Accart noted that 12 volunteers help with the operation of the store, including inventory management, supply, accounting and more.

Lille pointed out that the Food Bank provides hygiene products and food, while the National Association for Development of Solidarity Groceries (ANDES) provides financial and methodological assistance.

The store cooperates with other partners who collect and redistribute unused food and is in talks with charity organisations that are planning to open distribution points.

(Photo credit: Ville de Lille)