the Secours populaire du Calvados worried about the third confinement

“What was most striking”, for a year of health crisis, “is that we very quickly see the effect of crises on society. We are a barometer of precariousness”, remarks Nicolas Champion. The person in charge for Calvados from Secours populaire was on the front line to see the effects of successive confinements on precariousness. While new “braking measures” of the epidemic entered into force on this Easter weekend, he was the guest of France Bleu Normandie on Monday, April 4.

The precariousness exploded during the first confinement. Are you worried that it will start again today?

Nicolas Champion: “Yes. Here in Caen our food distributions increased by 80% during the first confinement, and even in the first two weeks of confinement. Then it calmed down. It is the student precariousness which has increased since the start of the school year, from November, but the figures are roughly similar to a normal year. On the other hand, it is feared that all insecurity will increase at the same time now with confinement by the end of the year “.

Are there more donations to Secours populaire since the health crisis?

NC: “Undoubtedly. There are more individuals who made financial donations to us, and we thank them because there are plenty of activities, garage sales, solidarity shops, which we cannot maintain in this period, so we need donations to be able to maintain our activities. We also see more people who come to swell the ranks of our volunteers, people who join us. At the very beginning to take care, and little by little people who have wanted to find meaning in their daily lives. We have a lot of students who came to help us. “

Do you continue to set up projects despite the crisis?

NC: “It is our responsibility. People come to look for food with us, it is the first solidarity, but we are also in the process for example of organizing all our actions on the holidays, because people need to leave in holidays and leisure. We organize them as if nothing had happened, even if it means canceling everything at the last moment, but we want to do it. We also do actions abroad. In Calvados, we help three projects , in Russia, Senegal and Nepal. At the national level, the association is present in 70 countries. “