Food aid addresses the immediate need to eat, but people in precarious situations often face compounded difficulties such as forgoing healthcare, isolation, mobility issues, or the digital divide. To better address these realities, the two organizations have formalized their collaboration to structure and strengthen support for beneficiaries in the Gers department.
The signing took place in the presence of Hélène Rozis Le Breton, departmental councilor and president of Gers Solidaire, Marie-Pierre Desbons, director of Gers Solidaire, and Laurent Talbot, president of the Food Bank of Gers.
The Food Bank of Gers collects and distributes food to 28 associations, reaching approximately 8,000 people facing food insecurity in the department (excluding Restos du Cœur and Secours populaire). While food distribution is essential, it is not always sufficient. The agreement aims to better coordinate the missions of each and pool expertise for complementary support.
Gers Solidaire will intervene in various areas such as health, access to rights, autonomy, cooking skills, and digital access. By including the networks of Restos du Cœur and Secours populaire, the support could reach up to 12,000 people.
Access to healthcare is a major focus, as precarious individuals are often furthest from the health system. Gers Solidaire is also the primary referrer for health check-ups offered by the CPAM in Gers, highlighting the value of reaching out to populations distant from health services.
Endorsed by both volunteers and beneficiaries, this support is based on a shared conviction: addressing precarity cannot be limited to food aid. The Department provides financial support to the Food Bank and Gers Solidaire.
With this agreement, we affirm a clear political will: not to limit ourselves to responding to the food emergency, but also to act on the causes and consequences of precarity. Our ambition is to bring existing systems closer, to break down silos in interventions, and to facilitate access to rights, health, and essential services. By federating the skills of Gers Solidaire and the Food Bank, we are choosing a more human, more coordinated, and more adapted support for everyone's needs. Because solidarity does not stop at distributing a food basket.
