Restos du Coeur

Charity established in 1985

Participation in the Enfoirés shows (1995, 1997, 2007). €60,000 donated from Ryanair legal payout in 2008

The Restos du cœur food centers were initially seen as a stopgap solution, but 25 years later, they continue to play a more crucial role than ever. The charity has grown from providing 8.5 million free meals in 1985, the first year of operation, to distributing 100 million meals in 2009, a reflection of the spiraling numbers of people at risk. Founded by French performer Coluche a few months before his fatal accident on June 19, 1986, the Restaurants du cœur food centers appeal to the community as a whole to provide balanced meals every day during the winter period.  The food centers are run by volunteers, and the work is financed by private donations and state funding. The world of show business contributes also, through the Enfoirés celebrity fundraisers involving TV shows, albums and concerts, which raised €25 million in 2009. The charity now has 117 offices in 96 departments across France, with 55,000 volunteers working in almost 2,023 food centers. Seeking to intervene in every facet of social exclusion, with the focus on reintegration into society, the charity is now also involved in facilitating access to housing, provides skills training such as gardening workshops, runs literacy campaigns and has opened day centers and social housing centers.