WHAT CONNECTS US Food insecurity in France: a huge social challenge 79 FOOD BANKS throughout France (including overseas territories) BERNARD BONNES Vice-President of Banques Alimentaires Banques Alimentaires has been France’s leading food bank network for 40 years. Today its work is more vital than ever, as combating food insecurity in France and providing universal access to food contribute 224 hugely to fostering social cohesion across the country. We talk to Bernard Bonnes, Vice-President of Banques Alimentaires. MILLION MEALS DISTRIBUTED PER YEAR How does Banques Alimentaires What’s the current state of food work? insecurity in France? First of all, we’re not working alone. We’re seeing a rise in the number of We rely on a network of partners people we serve. We now have 2.4 to provide practical assistance in million people coming to us, which is distributing food and personal hygiene a one-third increase over three years. products. We also do preventative Every day, in every part of the country, work through our Bons Gestes & Bonne we’re facing the consequences of Assiette (“Good habits, good meals”) in昀氀ation. I’m also noticing the diverse 2.4 workshops, showing people how to range of people who are coming. We avoid wasting food. We’re developing get women, retired people, and more MILLION PEOPLE short food supply chains that link up recently, students, and now we’re even SERVED local farmers to distribute farm-fresh seeing working people, some of whom produce straight from the land. are even on permanent contracts... At the moment, 30% of our network’s food aid recipients are single-parent families, 20% are young people aged between 15 and 25, 17% are retired, and overall 40% of them are living in social isolation. There’s an urgent need for action. 25