FOOD collection drives for the underprivileged are still being launched, even though they cannot take place in person or involve actual drop-off points in supermarkets – instead, cash donations are being taken online which will be spent on the usual non-perishables charities stock for those in need.
The Costa del Sol food bank – known as 'Bancosol' – has set up a 'virtual' collection for tomorrow (Good Friday) and Saturday, April 10 and 11 to replace its usual physical drop-offs.
Bancosol hopes to raise €300,000 for those who would have been in need anyway, and for households who are now suffering financially because of traders having to shut down temporarily during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Donors can make payments by sending a text message, if they have a Spanish mobile phone, to the number 38014 with the word ALIMENTOS ('food'), or on Bancosol's Teaming.net site.
They can also donate directly into the food bank's accounts, as the online poster (pictured above) being distributed includes these, complete with EBAN numbers: ES74 2100 2529 3502 1002 2162 (Caixabank), or ES38 2103 0285 7100 3000 2314 (Unicaja).
Customers at either of these banks will not have to pay a transfer fee.
Bancosol says it has seen a spike in applications for help, from local councils and associations which are not normally beneficiaries of its work, due to the shutdown and a high percentage of self-employed workers and traders falling into 'loopholes' which mean they are not able to claim any government aid.
It has stepped up its work since the start of the lockdown, taking food parcels to elderly and disabled residents.
Bancosol works with employees as well as volunteers, and has made it clear that it will keep its staff on – in fact, they will mostly be redeployed in the store rooms so food parcels can be delivered more quickly.
“We gave all employees and volunteers the option not to come to work, but none of them has chosen to stop,” says Bancosol.
