World Vision and Ferrovial support food solidarity association to open a new soup kitchen

The Asociación Mierense de Cocina Solidaria (Mieres food solidarity association, Amicos) has opened a new soup kitchen in the municipality of Mieres (Asturias) with support from World Vision and Ferrovial. This new meal centre, located in a unique building which used to house the old food market, has been assigned to the food solidarity association Amicos by the Mieres Town Council. Here, meals will be prepared and served daily at lunch time, and a food parcel will be given to users as provision for dinner and breakfast. This new venue will be able to cater for a larger number of beneficiaries (rising from 30 to 60 people). Kitchen facilities have been modernised and hygiene services have been improved, including access for people with disabilities. The area used by voluntary staff has also been improved, with new lockers and a new multipurpose hall to be used for meetings and training of both volunteers and users. According to Amicos, the old facilities catered for 145 beneficiaries in 2016. A total of 6,500 meals were served, with the same number of food parcels being handed out. The new venue will allow beneficiary figures to grow, and guarantee an improvement in the quality of the services provided.