Épicerie Étudiants reinforces its support system

Barely has the new academic year begun, and the fight against student poverty is intensifying. In La Garde, Épicerie Étudiants, which already supports a thousand young people, is strengthening its offer to respond to an increasingly pressing demand.

Faced with inflation and financial difficulties that threaten academic paths, the association is innovating by deploying a series of services designed to be more accessible, more practical, and closer to campuses.

A €3 food basket

The novelty of this start of the academic year is the creation of a €3 food basket, supplementing the €6 and €12 packages. This initiative meets a double need: providing aid to students with the lowest incomes and offering a reduced volume for beneficiaries traveling on public transport.

According to Brigitte Kraft, vice-president of Épicerie Étudiants, nutritional balance remains a priority. Each basket consists of a mix of varied foods, including fresh products, frozen foods, dry goods, as well as fruits and vegetables, guaranteeing a complete and healthy food supply.

To facilitate access to its help, the association has strengthened its local network. In Toulon, distributions on the premises of the Ordre de Malte are becoming weekly, compared to a bi-monthly schedule previously. This change aims to better serve students in the central and western sectors of the city.

Furthermore, a new offer has been created at the Chalucet site: a €1 "hot soup" menu. This complete meal, enriched with vegetables and starchy foods, is accompanied by a fruit and a meat or cheese option for students on the Montéty and Chalucet campuses.

At the service of solidarity

The other major evolution is the launch of the website epicerieetudiantslagarde.fr, designed by a student beneficiary of the system. The platform allows users to follow news about the association, pre-order, and pay for their basket online.

This digitalization simplifies logistics for volunteers and saves valuable time for students, who only have to come and collect their order. Building on this success, the team is already studying the implementation of a click & collect system.

Practical information

Épicerie Étudiants is located at 232, rue Denis-Papin. For any information, it is possible to contact the managers at 06 33 02 05 38 or 06 70 07 87 46, or by email at epicerieetudiants@gmail.com. The association's website is epicerieetudiantslagarde.fr.