Our Foundation works in network with entities of social action, like Fundació Roure. A few days ago, we attended the inauguration of his social work station in the neighborhood of La Ribera in Barcelona, ​​where users can purchase products that are taken home with a point system, depending on the number of family members and their preferences. We interviewed Soco Delàs, head of the welfare projects area of ​​this foundation, to know more about this project.

What can you tell us about this new social station of the Foundation?
It is a social work station that opens three hours, three days a week, thanks to ten volunteers and a coordinator of the foundation. For our organization, users come to a concerted hour and every two weeks, so they do not have to queue and can be better served. With this appointment system, we work the dignity of the person: his punctuality, his commitment and his respect for other users. In addition, the points system has also benefited them: before we gave them a bag with food; now they are happy to be able to choose what they want.

What can users find in this new social work station?
Basic food products, house cleaning and personal hygiene. At the moment, we serve 130 families, which total a total of 346 people. But, in a few weeks, we know that we will have to look after more, so there are other community outlets around the area that are expected to close.

What more services are offered to users?
Only a month ago we have opened and in the near future we’re going to offer cooking and energy saving classes and we will ask them to become involved in the foundation as volunteers. That is, we are sure that there are people who can help giving cooking classes to others, for example.

Given our experience, when the user is involved as a volunteer in the foundation, increases their self-esteem”

How do they get the products that are available to users?
Thanks to the collaboration of other entities and companies, such as the Food Bank, Nutrition Without Borders and Embracing the World. But we would love to involve other shops in the neighborhood, the Santa Caterina market and, of course, the entities that want it.

Do they accept other donations and how can they be done?
We accept donations from companies, whose employees, for example, can make a collection of money or products to bring them here. We also accept private donations, which may phone us before to coordinate with us. What we ask is that they bring it to us, since we do not have enough means to collect products.

What kind of products are most needed?
Powdered milk for babies from 0 to 6 months, foods that expire late, such as oil, breakfast cereals, coffee, sugar, rice, eggs, fried tomatoes… Also personal hygiene such as gel, shampoo, diapers…

What do you like most about your job?
I do a lot of different things: I listen to people, study unmet needs of Barcelona… Every day I have a new challenge because, apart from the commissary, we have other services, so every day gives you a great bag to learn.

In Barcelona, there are a large number of people with mental health problems that are neither diagnosed nor medicated because of health cuts and these people are very helpless”

Tell us about social showers: how do they work?
They are designed, especially, for families with few resources or who have difficulties in the housing, Spaniards who live alone, people protected and very old with problems of mobility. The people who come here coordinate them in collaboration with the social services and with a schedule. Here we leave everything they need: soap, shampoo, towels. If we see that, in addition to showering, they need to wash their clothes, we refer them to our Solidarity Laundry.

Another of your services is Family Meals, what do they consist of?
They are two dining rooms with capacity for up to 40 people, so that whole families and some other single person in a situation of vulnerability can come and enjoy the food in a cozy and intimate atmosphere. The purpose of these meals is to acquire hygiene habits and also to make a social life, so we sit with other people with whom they may have affinity, by language, interests, etc. It is nice to see that come to taste. We serve lunches from Monday to Sunday at 1 pm and if required by the social worker also take a picnic home for dinner.

Is there a relationship between the dining room and the social department?
All the projects of the Fundació are interrelated. Thus, we can cover needs not covered a priori. For example, seeing a person assiduously in the store, you can detect weaknesses, such as loneliness, dependency, medical problems, cuts in supplies, lack of personal hygiene, etc. It is not that the dining room and the commissary are closely related, is that all the Fundació projects are related to each other for a single purpose: to meet the basic needs of vulnerable people and families.

Rebost comunitari Fundació Roure
Reception in Carders, 39 St. and Economato entering Pou de la Figuera St. Barcelona.
Do you want to collaborate? You can call the phone number 00 34 932 956 013.