Itinérance 34: itinerant distribution of unsold goods to associations – Food Bank

Context

In isolated rural areas, poorer populations receive no food aid. So with the Itinérance 34 project, the Food Bank combines an anti-waste action with a social action to help people in need. Indeed, more than a tonne of food per week is saved from destruction, and more than 300 people living below the poverty line, in isolated communities, benefit from food aid.

Project

To overcome territorial inequalities, the Food Bank is launching a mobile service in the Hérault department. The Itinérance 34 project aims to provide for the needs of populations who are the most distant from urban centers.

Implementation : Three trucks collect unsellable items from local supermarkets and deliver them to intermediaries who then distribute them.

The Itinérance 34 project was built in 5 phases:

• Supermarkets put unsaleable products to one side 
• Food Bank truck picks them up
• Orders are prepared, sorted in batches by volunteers who offer menus adapted to each intermediary association
• Once a week, the itinerant truck delivers directly to associations (specific to the Roaming 34 project)
• It is then the turn of local associations or partner municipalities to identify the beneficiaries and organize the final distribution, in emergency packages, through social grocery stores or meals.

Three distribution channels have been set up since 2015:

• 2015-2016: Consultation with the social services of local authorities, the CCAS (and the departmental union), associations. Definition of potential circuits.
• June 2016: First "Itinérance 34" tour in the Ganges sector, once a week.
• Fall 2016: Increase in the frequency of passage in the Gangeois (twice a week) • Second tour: Vallée de l'hérault (Gignac, Clermont l´Hérault, Lodève, Le Caylar)
• Mid-2017: Third itinerant distribution in Hauts-Cantons (Saint-Pons, Olonzac, La Salvetat), departing from the future Béziers branch.

Equipment investment :

• 900 kg cold dual-compartment truck : € 46,000 
• Handling equipment, scales, laptops : € 1,500 
• Fuel and truck maintenance : € 18,600

Human investment

• Study of the project and travel: € 2,000 
• 2 days of training (management / hygiene) for volunteers from the “new” associations delivered.
• 3 volunteers per tour 
• One employee

Project leaders

The leaders of this Itinérance 34 project are Yves Bourgue and Yves Delage, respectively president and vice-president of the Hérault Food Bank.

The Little Extra

The Food Bank takes care of the logistics, which is too heavy for small intermediary associations. It allows intermediary actors (not necessarily food aid specialists) to assume a distribution role within their reach.

Written by Clémence Guignard, LFC volunteer - May 2019. 

Last modification : 30 Apr 2020.