06/09/2021 08:22:25 The Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) and its 54 associated Food Banks will provide assistance to 13,277 people over the course of a year thanks to the 3.8 million euro donation made by UNESPA on behalf of 107 insurers. Specifically, it is estimated that 3.6 million kilos of food and other basic necessities will be distributed. Or what is the same, 14.3 million servings. This contribution is made within the framework of the Be Prepared program (to be on the safe side). With this donation, the insurance sector tries to alleviate the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.
The emergence of the coronavirus in 2020 and the implementation of distancing measures to face the health crisis caused an abrupt stoppage of daily activity. This led to a strong rise in unemployment, the fall or total loss of income in many households, as well as an increase in the number of people in situations of socio-economic vulnerability. According to FESBAL, demand for food increased by 50% as a result of the pandemic.
To face this situation, FESBAL and its 54 associated Food Banks launched the COVID-19 Food Emergency program. The objective of this project is the purchase of food, its distribution among the Food Banks and subsequent distribution among local Charitable Entities. These are the ones who are in charge of distributing them among registered families and individuals. This entire process is carried out under scrupulous economic and administrative monitoring (orders, delivery notes, payment of invoices, issuance of certificates to donors …).
The resources provided by the insurance sector will serve to support 5,311 families throughout the country. The recipients of these grants are people of low-middle and low income. These are, in particular, single-parent households, retirees, emigrants, young couples, workers who are in temporary or permanent employment regulation files (ERTE and ERE), self-employed professionals whose activity has fallen drastically …
The collective donation is made from the insurance solidarity fund set up by the insurance sector in April 2020 to combat COVID-19. At that time, 107 insurers joined forces and contributed 38 million euros. This money served at first to protect more than 1 million people who worked in health centers and residences for 12 months through life insurance with subsidy for hospitalization.
The culmination of the vaccination process for social health personnel last spring led to a reorientation of the scope of action of the insurance solidarity fund. Last June, the 107 insurers participating in this fund announced their intention to allocate the remaining 28 million euros to finance scientific and social research projects. Thus was born Be Prepared (to be safer), the insurance industry donations program. The contribution to FESBAL that is made public today is part of the actions of a social nature of the program.
“We have decided to collaborate with FESBAL due to its long history and experience in caring for vulnerable groups. Its structure makes it possible for the donation we announce today to reach families throughout the Spanish geography. It is essential that no one is left behind because of the social and economic crisis caused by COVID-19. The wish of insurance is that we get out of this together, as a cohesive society. May we face the future with security and confidence ”, says Pilar González de Frutos, president of UNESPA.
Miguel Fernández, director of FESBAL, estimates for its part that “the health crisis derived from COVID-19 has left serious economic and social consequences. The year 2021 is advancing and, although the health situation has improved, the demand for food aid and basic necessities persists. Associated Food Banks have been facing an unprecedented situation. For this reason, we are especially grateful to UNESPA as well as to the 107 insurers that have joined with this solidarity initiative. Because only together we will ensure that no one is left behind. Our greatest responsibility it is trying to ensure that the most vulnerable people have covered one of the basic needs of the human being: food ”.
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