Madrid's co-operative food bank

Madrid's co-operative food bank

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Spain’s economy has been in and out of recession since a property bubble burst six years ago, sending unemployment soaring to record highs.

To help those hit by hard times, families and activists from the 15M indignant movement founded a food bank in the Madrid neighbourhood of Tetuan. But unlike charity groups that simply hand out donations, this bank asks recipients to collaborate by helping to collect and distribute food.

. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Currently more than 30 families - over a hundred people - are involved in the project.

Those working with the Tetuan food bank stand outside local supermarkets picking up donations, perform inventories of the food and allocate portions to each family, theirs included, which they distribute every two weeks.

. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Toni Trigo (left), her husband Majid Mnissar (centre) and their three children became involved with the Tetuan food bank in October 2013 and continued receiving food until just a few weeks ago.

Before Spain’s economic crisis Trigo was employed as a geriatric assistant and Mnissar as a machinist. In 2009, however, Mnissar lost his job and Trigo then had to support the family on the 690 euros she made a month, when their rent alone was 650 euros.

“Either we stopped making the rent payments or we stopped eating. I couldn’t let my children go hungry”, Trigo said.

Soon after, Trigo lost her job as well and the family was evicted from their flat in 2010. They have been living in Trigo’s parents’ cramped, two-bedroom apartment ever since, sleeping all in one room.

Trigo heard about the Tetuan food bank when she went to try and stop the eviction of an acquaintance of her husband, who was involved in the project.

“It is not easy to stand outside a supermarket asking people to donate. But it has helped us put food on the table all these months,” said Trigo.

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Slideshow

The skyscrapers of the Four Towers business district rise up in background, behind a man searching for food in a garbage container in Tetuan.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

The skyscrapers of the Four Towers business district rise up in background, behind a man searching for food in a garbage container in Tetuan.

Majid Mnissar does his morning prayers in the small apartment that he, his wife and three children share with his parents-in-law.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Majid Mnissar does his morning prayers in the small apartment that he, his wife and three children share with his parents-in-law.

Mnissar’s seven-year-old son Elias Mnissar Trigo plays with a Real Madrid scarf in the shared, two-bedroom apartment.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Mnissar’s seven-year-old son Elias Mnissar Trigo plays with a Real Madrid scarf in the shared, two-bedroom apartment.

Mnissar’s wife Toni Trigo kisses their son Elias good-bye after taking him to school.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Mnissar’s wife Toni Trigo kisses their son Elias good-bye after taking him to school.

Trigo picks up a donation for the Tetuan food bank from a supermarket shopper as a fellow food bank recipient looks on.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Trigo picks up a donation for the Tetuan food bank from a supermarket shopper as a fellow food bank recipient looks on.

Julio Ortiz, who is part of the food bank, sorts items during a donation pick-up outside a supermarket.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Julio Ortiz, who is part of the food bank, sorts items during a donation pick-up outside a supermarket.

Majid Mnissar (left), Mostafa Kamal and another food bank recipient carry a shopping cart full of donated items to the food bank storage room.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Majid Mnissar (left), Mostafa Kamal and another food bank recipient carry a shopping cart full of donated items to the food bank storage room.

Shopping carts, marked with numbers to identify the families that own them, are lined up before being filled with donated food.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Shopping carts, marked with numbers to identify the families that own them, are lined up before being filled with donated food.

A man waits to get his portion of items from the food bank.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

A man waits to get his portion of items from the food bank.

Klever, a recipient of the food bank, gives out donated bread.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Klever, a recipient of the food bank, gives out donated bread.

Trigo's son Elias tells her he does not like the paella that she made with rice from the food bank.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Trigo's son Elias tells her he does not like the paella that she made with rice from the food bank.

Trigo offers her husband dinner as Elias looks on.
. MADRID, SPAIN. REUTERS/Susana Vera

Trigo offers her husband dinner as Elias looks on.