Arrecife will have for the first time a public social canteen, which will be managed by Emerlan. The service will be aimed at people in a situation of extreme social exclusion who sleep on the street or those who are in a situation of social vulnerability.
As explained by the City Council, an open procedure was carried out and this NGO has been the proposed winner. Now, they explain that Emerlan must present the documentation for the signing of the contract, which will have a duration of one year, extendable to another two and up to a maximum of three.
"Attending to and protecting the most vulnerable people, covering their basic food needs, is one of the priorities of the Government group”., said the mayor, Ástrid Pérez, who celebrates that “this initiative, so necessary for a city that has experienced the ravages of the serious economic and social situation derived from the pandemic, is finally a reality”
As detailed by the Consistory, the social canteen will have capacity for 100 users and will be located in a premises in Arrecife “that will be made available by the awarded company, once it delivers the required documentation and the contract is signed.” From the City Council they add that they will be offered “daily menus consisting of first and second course, dessert or fruit and water”. The premises will also have “telephone, internet and everything necessary for the food service, cutlery, tablecloths, etc.”.
The preparation of the daily menus, as explained by the City Council, “must take into account that the food must be balanced, therapeutic, varied and sufficient.” Emerlan will be in charge “of the distribution of the menus, which will be prepared by a food catering company”.
Social reintegration and assistance due to lack of social support
According to the Arrecife City Council, the food will be distributed “between 12:00 and 16:00, leaving the hours from 16:00 to 18:00 for carrying out social reintegration activities with the users of the canteen, which may be group or individual and will be carried out by trained personnel.”
“Assistance due to lack of social support is also very important because Emerlan will be touring the streets of the municipality in search of people who need social assistance”, according to the Councilor for Social Services María Jesús Tovar.
“We intend that those people who sleep on the streets or who live by begging have the most basic food assured,” adds the head of the area.
The City Council affirms that it will keep a control of the users and will coordinate with the Emerlan managers, who will prepare reports on the situation of the people in a situation of indigence who access the service.
For the execution of the social canteen service and assistance due to lack of support, the City Council details that Emerlan “will have a social worker, two canteen assistants, a person for the cleaning service and a vehicle for the transfer of users who are on the street”.
