Red Cross (Ecureuil Project): 1400 families in Saint-Martin helped to obtain basic necessities

Since April 10, teams from the French Red Cross have been organizing, in partner neighborhood associations, the distribution of shopping coupons to 1400 families, previously selected by the allocation committee.

This aid will allow beneficiaries to obtain essential goods from partner stores until June 15, 2018.

After the devastating passage of Hurricane Irma, the basic needs of the inhabitants of Saint-Martin intensified. Rebuild your home or find new accommodation, dress, feed, care, exercise an income-generating activity. The French Red Cross presents before, during and after September 2017, continues to offer responses tailored to the immediate needs of the territory: disaster relief actions during the emergency phase, mobile health screening and social intervention, or the Castor operation aimed at helping 500 families to rehabilitate their housing.

The Écureuil scheme aims to help 1400 families in situations of great economic and social fragility, to make their everyday purchases. Distributed on the French territory of the island, these beneficiary families were preselected thanks to the assistance of institutional partners (CAF, Collectivity of St Martin), associations (Manteau, Trade Union, neighborhood associations) but also our teams from the 'EMIS-Samu Social and the Health Bus for All.

For a more equitable selection, an attribution commission bringing together the members of the French Red Cross, social workers, elected officials of the Collectivity and representatives of local associations, examined each file made anonymous and this, from pre-established vulnerability criteria. In total, 1400 families benefit from the system. The beneficiaries having been selected during the commissions, we invite people in difficulty to get closer to their local social worker.

Since April 10, 2018, each beneficiary family meets with the teams of the French Red Cross in order to receive near their home a book of coupons whose total value amounts to 600 euros. The coupons can be used until June 15, 2018, in five partner stores across the French territory of the island. The purpose of this aid is to contribute to the purchase of basic necessities (food, non-alcoholic drinks, hygiene and cleaning products).

Please note, coupons do not allow you to buy tobacco and alcohol.

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