The Bon Preu Group raises more than 251,000 euros to fund lunch grants.

A sunny Sunday of rice with local produce, vermouth, snacks, and dessert. All of this, with solidarity as the focus. This was the plan that, last Sunday, brought together more than 1,200 people at El Xampany in Cervelló, in Baix Llobregat. They didn't want to miss the first Bonpreu and Esclat Solidarity Rice Festival, a festive and family-friendly event organized with a clear objective: to raise funds for one of the most ambitious initiatives the Catalan supermarket chain has underway: the lunch scholarship project.

With the experience that Educo and Fundesplai have in the field of child welfare, the Bonpreu and Esclat lunch scholarship project seeks to ensure that children at risk of social exclusion have access to a varied and balanced diet.

"The reality is that the lunch grants, which help families cover this cost, only reach 15.5% of Catalan students, although 32.5% of Catalan children – around 440,000 – are at risk of poverty and exclusion.", explains the supermarket chain. Faced with this situation, it decided to take action with this solidarity project, which is known asA generation with driveSince its launch, they have already allocated €251,006, equivalent to 33,289 meals, distributed to 115 schools throughout Catalonia. During the rice campaign alone, more than €54,000 has been raised.

A successful project

""We are very satisfied with the response from our community. Our initial goal was 36,000 meals, and we are close to achieving it, months ahead of schedule. We will continue to promote this strategic project because we want to provide solutions to such a crucial issue as children's nutrition," explained the Group's Commercial Director, Anna Font y Tanyà.. In addition to solidarity riceThe lunch grants are funded by utilizing surplus food from the group's bakeries throughout the country, within its establishments. Since last October, 154 bakeries have been offering packages to combat food waste. "They are made up of surplus products from our bakeries: from bread, sweet and savory pastries, and cakes to sandwiches and pizzas," the company explains. All net profits from the sale of these products are used to fund the lunch grants.

Apart from this, other efforts have been added, both our own - with direct contributions from Bonpreu and Esclat– as well as customers and suppliers. The first rice dish served to take the project a step further. "We are very satisfied with the reception this initiative has had: a week earlier we had already sold out, despite having expanded our capacity," the chain notes. "This reaffirms, once again, that our community is very supportive, that it supports us, and that it appreciates us carrying out these impactful initiatives and allowing us to leave our mark on the region," it continues.

The rice day was enlivened by the entire program team The morning and the mother who gave birth to himRadio Flaixbac's program, which broadcast a live special from 12 noon to 2 p.m. However, the activities started at 11 a.m. and continued until 5 p.m.: there was music, food, children's activities, and a great atmosphere. The highlight of the day was lunch: rice made with locally sourced produce. In the afternoon, there was a live musical performance by Els Catarres, with a special acoustic show.

"This is a strategic project for Grup Bon Preu, present and future, and we want it to continue," the company states. "Let's start leaving our mark, starting to walk, hand in hand with Fundesplai and Educo, to ensure that future generations have the fuel they need to get where they want to go," it concludes.