For 200 beneficiaries, it’s Christmas a little early this Monday 23, but also Tuesday 24 December at the Creil Meeting Center. Les Fringues Store Associatif, a well-known association in Creil and the entire Creillois area, is organizing a solidarity distribution of clothes and toys, of course for Christmas. “It’s not just clothes,” explains José Manço, the founder of what has become, over the years, an associative brand where solidarity rhymes with employment and know-how.
“We also have many toys offered by our partners, whether it is Crédit Agricole which has been with us since the beginning or the Carrefour brand formerly Cora, where we are fortunate to have a store located in the heart of the gallery, right in front of the main entrance.
It is true that it is impossible to pass by the Fringues store Associatif without seeing them. There is a logo, a spirit, a very personal touch. José comes from this fashion and creative background. He has worked with the biggest brands and today has a well-stocked address book. So he wants to share this experience as much as possible. “We have big ideas but we want to preserve the associative aspect. It’s much easier and less restrictive for us. Our primary objective is, above all, solidarity.” Trainees and beneficiaries, employees and volunteers, rub shoulders in a family spirit. A big family where the objective is on the one hand to enjoy creating, repairing and giving new life to new clothes intended to be thrown away.
New destined to be thrown away
This is where the low hurts. 260 million! This is the astronomical figure in euros for non-food products thrown away throughout the year. This represents 20,000 tonnes. “The equivalent of two Eiffel Towers,” explains José so that everyone has the volume and weight in mind. “Be careful, I find that things have been done. I heard the Prime Minister’s speech. I like this idea of not opposing rurality to the city. There is still so much to do to avoid waste. At our level, we do what we can, we do above all what we know how to do, so we do it,” specifies the owner of the place.
Monday, December 23, was also the opportunity to meet the woman who runs the solidarity shop on Place Saint-Médard.
Maria Martins is also a beautiful story. However, she experienced things, young Maria. Events that would have brought more than one to the ground. She knew how to get up. “I was a beneficiary myself and that’s how I discovered Fringues Store Associatif. Little by little, I got involved and offered my help. I liked the spirit of the store so much that today, I manage the downtown store. I simply live again,” emphasizes Maria, radiant.
For these December 23 and 24, the Meeting Center is nicely decorated. The porticos display clothes carefully brought up to date. There are plenty for children. A bit normal, it’s Christmas! Beneficiaries are sent by partners, the benefit fund and CCAS. There are more and more single women with one or more children.
“We are indeed seeing that there are more and more single women, precarious families and this little boost for Christmas is good for morale,” emphasizes José.
Fifty years ago, with Valéry Giscard d’Estaing!
For him, it’s a fair return of things. He who was lucky enough to be able to develop professionally does not forget that he too was in need. “Every Christmas I go back about fifty years. We had very modest means with my brother and my mother. My brother wrote to the President of the Republic at the time, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. A few days later, we received an invitation to participate in the Solidarity Christmas. What a memory!”
About fifty years later, José realizes that unfortunately nothing has really changed. Poverty is more and more present. And then, in his eyes, there are shocking speeches, those of certain politicians. “Many are in opposition or want to point the finger at a certain category of people. I don’t know a single RSA beneficiary who is happy to live like this. It’s survival. Let’s start by reducing the volume of inedible products thrown away, take a closer look at edible products destroyed, there’s a nice budget to be had that would allow us to do so many things,” the creator of Fringues Store Associatif begins to dream. .
While waiting for this awareness of the elected officials who lead the nation, at its level, the Creilloise association allows, at the end of the year 2024, to allow the most deprived to enjoy a Christmas. “And then we organize a tea party at the end of the day. Another moment of sharing where my only objective is to see smiles displayed,” concludes José Manço.
The pleasure of giving pleasure, quite simply.
