What is the Secours Populaire used for?

What is the Secours Populaire used for

The Secours populaire is an association that helps people in precarious situations, poverty or social exclusion. In France, but also all over the world. What to give? How to make a donation ? To be a volunteer?

The Secours Populaire is a non-profit solidarity association which is intended to fight against poverty. In France, this is the Secours Populaire Français (SPF), which is organized in member networks covering the whole territory. But this association is present in other countries of the world. Secours populaire works with people who are victims ofsocial injusticenatural disasters, famine, underdevelopment, misery or armed conflict. Who has the right to go to Secours Populaire? What can we give ? What is the difference with Secours Catholique? Where does the money from the donations we make to the Secours populaire go?

What is Secours Populaire?

The Secours Populaire is a solidarity association recognized as a public utility created in 1945. He works for a united and fairer world responding to individual situations and respecting everyone’s dignity. Present throughout the world with its network of partners, particularly in France (the Secours populaire Français, which has nearly 100,000 volunteers), the Secours populaire has several fields of action : emergency actions with people in difficulty or in need, material and food support, assistance with socio-professional integration, assistance with training, access to law, culture and leisure…

Where does the Secours Populaire’s money go? What are the assignments?

Preparation of packed lunches by volunteers from Secours Populaire Francais © SYSPEO/SIPA (published on 02/03/2023)

With the funds collected thanks to donations in particular, the Secours populaire can intervene in many areas:

  • Food aid through distributions or the preparation of packed lunches, for example
  • Clothing and material assistance
  • Access to and maintenance in housing
  • Health care access and health prevention
  • Social and professional integration
  • Emergencies in the face of incidents, extreme weather conditions and natural disasters (fires, storms, severe weather, extreme cold, etc.)
  • Access to rights and legal aid
  • Access to holidays, culture, leisure and sport
  • Aid to migrants and refugees
  • Educational and school support

Who has the right to go to Secours Populaire?

Anyone who wants any kind of support can go through the doors of the Secours Populaire. For example :

  • People in a situation of precariousness or poverty
  • People in debt
  • students in need
  • homeless people
  • Migrants, refugees, asylum seekers
  • Children or isolated people…

What is the difference between Secours Populaire and Secours Catholique?

Secours Populaire and Secours Catholique are both non-profit associationswishing to fight problems of poverty, exclusion and wishing promote social justice. These two associations, however, have differences in the organization of their missions: the Secours Populaire provides food aid (distribution) once a month, while the Secours Catholique provides distribution occasionally during the year. Also, Secours Catholique is a service of the Catholic Church in France, according to the initial guidelines defined by its original leader, Father Jean Rodhain, which is not the case with Secours Populaire. However, Secours Catholique comes to the aid of those most in need “without distinction of race, religion or nationality”, in the respect of Christian charity.

What is the logo of the Secours populaire français?

logo-popular-relief-french
Logo of the Secours Populaire Français © SYSPEO/SIPA (published on 02/20/2023)

Can we donate clothes to the Secours populaire?

Secours populaire always needs material resources (in addition to human resources) that are clean and in good condition:

  • Clothing (all sizes welcome)
  • bed linen
  • Tablecloths, rugs, napkins
  • Furniture
  • Appliances
  • Toys (soft toys, rattles, plastic or wooden early learning toys, board games, toy cars, dolls, rocking horse, disguises, etc.)
  • hygiene products

It is possible to make a financial donation:

→ By bank transfer (once or monthly, donations eligible for a tax reduction)

→ By SMS (donations directly deducted from your mobile bill)

→ By giving meal vouchers

→ By deduction at source

The Secours populaire is constantly looking for new volunteers, in particular animators-collectors, doctors, “child friends of the world” and holiday families. It is possible to fill a form directly on the Secours populaire website to find a formula that best suits you according to your availability, your skills, your centers of interest and your desires.

Sources:

– Official website of Secours Populaire

– The Business Directory, French Republic

jdf4