Solidarity action: Gaia association creates a student survival box and obtains a grant from the Auchan Foundation
The Auchan Retail Foundation prize
As a major partner (Grand Partner) of MBS, Auchan Retail and its youth foundation organise an annual award to support student associations that help young people in difficulty.
Member of the REFEDD network (French Student Network for Sustainable Development), the Gaia association of MBS is very involved in sustainable development, notably with its participation in the Student COP 2. This year, the association also took part in the Auchan Retail Foundation’s prize committee with a solidarity project which aims to address the impact of the health crisis on the daily lives of students.
A solidarity box for students living in precarious conditions
Led by Klervie Jardel, Vincent Daigny-Pradalier and Iris Cassagne, all members of the association, the project is to create a student survival box. “Following the health crisis, the number of student jobs has considerably dropped. The association therefore thought about a system that would allow students to eat healthily at a low price. “explains Louise Tastard, President of the association.
More concretely, the project aims to produce 50 boxes for €2 for students during the next 10 months of classes and to establish a real momentum of solidarity.
“The inspiration comes directly from military survival boxes. The idea is to provide students with an emergency box in case they have a hard time at the end of the month, with mainly canned goods and long-lasting food. The box will also contain some unsold fresh food and some recipes developed in partnership with the MBS culinary association ‘La Sauce’,” explains the trio.
A €8,000 grant
Auchan Retail has decided to support this ambitious project. A grant of €8,000 has been allocated to produce solidarity boxes over the next 10 months of classes. “We had a first meeting with the director of Auchan Pérols to determine the costs. The project manager will also put us in touch with the Malbosc shop and social organisations in order to make the project last”, conclude the students.
Gaia and the student association “Mon Bureau Solidaire” (formerly “Sup de Cœur”) delivered the first box on April 14th 2021.
