France
Emmaus in France
Emmaus started off in France in 1949 and the movement now has 220 member groups in the country. There are many different types of structures in France, providing a response tailored to the local situation (communities, social action and housing structures, SOS Families, friends committees and reintegration structures). The groups in the country benefit from the support of the national organisation, Emmaus France.Origins
In November 1949, called to the side of a desperate man who had tried to commit suicide, Abbé Pierre spontaneously offered “the opposite of charity” by suggesting he come to “help him help others” by building accommodation for homeless families. Georges Legay agreed to do so. Soon, other men joined him at the Emmaus house in Neuilly-Plaisance and the first community was then set up. In January 1951, five companions built the first accommodation. In June 1951, Abbé Pierre was not re-elected as an MP. With money running short, Abbé Pierre went begging on the streets of Paris. A companion came up with the answer: to become rag-pickers. From then onwards, the community lived off collecting and selling raw materials and second-hand items. Little by little, rules came into being as the community gained in experience. “Never shall we accept that our subsistence depend on anything else than our work”. At the end of 1953, there were 180 companions in eight communities. With little means at their disposal, they housed 141 families. On 1 February 1954, in response to the authorities’ lack of action, Abbé Pierre gave his well-known radio appeal.Main Activities
- Welcome, providing accommodation, reintegration
- Collecting, reusing, recycling and selling on objects
- Political campaigning and awareness raising
- Social action and housing (emergency accommodation, social housing, fighting against excessive debt, etc.)
- Local, european and international solidarity initiatives
Secondary Activities
- Fixing objects, upcycling
- Farming, farms for the reintegration of former convicts and for those towards the end of their sentences
- Solidarity driving schools
- Design of furniture and objects, styling
- The online sales platform Label Emmaüs
EMMAÜS FRANCE
47, avenue de la Résistance
F-93104 Montreuil Cedex
+33 (0)1 41 58 25 00
+33 (0)1 48 57 45 95
Key numbers
30,000 stakeholders involved with Emmaus (including companions, volunteers and employees)
480 sales areas
270,000 tons of merchandise collected every year
Overview
Annick Berthier
National delegate for France
The Challenges in France
“The classic Emmaus activity of collecting, reusing and selling on second-hand objects remains our main model but other activities are starting to emerge and we want to encourage and support the development of such initiatives. Examples include the farms launched in several Emmaus communities or Pages Solidaires (Solidarity Pages) which involves selling books online, but there are many others. We need fresh ideas, we need imagination and innovation to create different ways to help people. This process is now underway and I trust the groups of the movement to do this well. Emmaus France will always be here to support them.”
With pictures
© Emmaus France
© Atelier Emmaüs
Find out more
France
Emmaus Alternatives: Solidarity Lockers for the Homeless
The group worked alongside the authorities in Montreuil and Portuguese association ACA to install 12 lockers in October 2018 before adding another 12 in November 2020.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
France
Emmaus Connect: Fighting against Digital Exclusion
The idea came from an Emmaus group in Paris due to the situation of people in street situations, of people who are poorly housed and/or of people without bank accounts who have to spend huge sums on prepaid cards to be able to get on the Internet.
Tackling Poverty / Solidarity
Italy
A large solidarity march on the border of France and Italy
On 7 March several hundred people gathered in Briançon – Montgenèvre, in the French Alps, to support those doing outreach work and to denounce rights violations on the border of France and Italy.
