Socially Underprivileged Citizens Served Warm Meals in the Winter Months

The Soup Kitchen Project, initiated by the Sofia branch employees of BNP Paribas will continue to run this season until March 31^st, 2011. The project's ambition since its start in December is to serve each day a warm meal to 1,350 disadvantaged citizens of Sofia. In addition, 3 soup kitchen centers opened in the city of Varna, serving another 400 people per day. 

Eligible beneficiaries are individuals above 65 years old living alone and with insufficient funds to provide themselves with food during the winter season as well as single parents with children and disabled people who are in quite vulnerable social situation.

Meal distribution is handled in cooperation with Sofia and Varna Municipalities, through the centers of municipal company “Social Patronage”, which provide the necessary cooking & distribution facilities and staff. The permanent control of the collected funds by BNP Paribas S.A. – Sofia Branch guarantees they are used exclusively to support the less fortunate.

The project is financed through the donations of the staff of BNP Paribas S.A. – Sofia Branch on a matching contribution basis with the Bank (each BGN donated by an employee is doubled by the bank) and with the financial support of clients and partners of the bank such as the International Women’s Club. Thanks to their support, it was possible to achieve the snowball effect of the project.

The Project SOUP KITCHEN, whose importance has increased with every year. BBLF awarded the project SOUP KITCHEN of BNP Paribas S.A. – Sofia Branch a first prize in the category “Investor in Community” on the Annual Responsible Business Awards 2006. In June 2009, the project received the BNP Paribas Innov@action award 2009 for Corporate Social Responsibility.