DoucheFLUX, in collaboration with the association Les Gastrosophes, organised the fourth edition of the “Street Banquet” on Tuesday afternoon at Place Bethléem in the Brussels municipality of Saint-Gilles to provide a festive Christmas Eve meal for homeless and vulnerable people.
“Everyone is welcome, whether they have papers or not, whether they have a home or not, from here or elsewhere,” the two associations emphasised. From 12:00 to 16:00, tables were set up in the square, immersed in a warm, musical atmosphere.
This year, the menu crafted by Les Gastrosophes had something for everyone’s tastes: Breton oysters as an appetiser, gratin onion soup as a starter, and turkey fillet (accompanied by sautéed oyster mushrooms, poultry jus, and butternut mash) as the main course. Christmas logs by Nicolas Arnaud pâtisserie and mulled wine completed the feast.
The non-profit organisation recovers food surplus from wholesalers and organic farmers, offering catering services to businesses and individuals. The profits are used to provide meals to vulnerable people throughout the year, in collaboration with associations like DoucheFLUX.
“The situation in the Brussels region is dire,” warned Benjamin Brooke, director of DoucheFLUX. “We risk reaching 10,000 homeless people this year,” he cautioned.
DoucheFLUX operates on a tight budget “throughout the year.” “We are particularly worried about 2025 due to anticipated budget cuts,” Brooke added. “We are constantly asked to do more with fewer resources, which is becoming increasingly challenging.”
The director of DoucheFLUX urges public authorities to take responsibility and “invest massively in housing, rather than only financing emergency or temporary solutions.”
