It is the turn of the French Red Cross to call for help. “We solemnly appeal to the generosity of companies and public authorities to help us get through this particular year”, Nathalie Smirnov, director general of the French Red Cross, told Agence France-Presse on Monday (September 4).
The association is facing financial difficulties due to a sharp increase in its operating costs and an influx of requests for assistance. According to Mme Smirnov, the latter increased by 7% in the first half, compared to the same period last year. And 2022 was also marked by a jump in requests (+22%) compared to the previous year.
This appeal comes after the one launched on Sunday by the Restos du Cœur, forced to reduce the number of their beneficiaries this winter due to financial difficulties. The association, which needs 35 million euros to end the year in balance, launched an appeal for help to which the government and companies responded in the process. The executive has promised state aid of 15 million euros, and the family of Bernard Arnault, owner of the world number one in luxury LVMH, 10 million.
Rising cost of energy
The director general of the Red Cross also blames the difficulties of her association on the rise in the cost of energy, responsible for ” an increase of 45 million euros” costs, “despite the aid measures put in place by the State”. “The French Red Cross has a deficit of 25 million euros that we cannot make up for on energy”, she notes. Result: overall, the association expects a deficit of between 45 and 50 million euros this year.
Last year, it had an operating budget of 1.7 billion euros, including 1.5 billion devoted to the management of more than 600 health, social and medico-social establishments and services.
About 200 million euros are devoted to the social action carried out by its volunteers, such as food aid schemes. Half of the sum comes from donations and the other half comes from the activities of the association which generate income (training, first aid station service during events).