Distribution of Food Products by the ASP: Aid for Over 530,000 Bulgarians

The phased distribution of food products purchased by the Social Assistance Agency (SAA) in implementation of the "Support" operation under the Program "Food and Basic Material Assistance" (FBMA) 2021 – 2027, co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus, is ongoing. The campaign will continue until May 15.

The assistance is expected to reach over 530,000 vulnerable Bulgarian citizens. The distribution of food products is carried out by employees and volunteers of the Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) in 317 temporary points throughout the country. The packages include 11 types of essential food products: flour, rice, lyutenitsa (tomato and pepper spread), oil, canned food (tomatoes, peas, stewed vegetables, beans, jam), meat cans (beef and chicken fricassee).

Single-member and two-member families will receive one package with a total of almost 11 kg of food, and those with three or more members – two packages with about 24 kg of products. Schedules and addresses of the points are published on the website of the BRC and SAA.

Information on the persons included in the support lists can be obtained from the national call center for social support and health consultations of the BRC at telephone number 02 4928549 and by checking the eligible persons by ID number at https://foodprogram.redcross.bg.

The current campaign is implemented in two stages. At the end of 2025, packages with nine types of hygiene materials and two types of food products – sugar and spaghetti, were distributed, and from March 16, 2026, the distribution of the second part of the package began in stages throughout the country. Simultaneously, support continues with the provision of hot meals every working day, for almost 70,000 needy citizens throughout the country. With packages with basic products for newborns from poor families, 5000 children from vulnerable families are covered. Support with a children's kitchen - for children from 10 months to three years of age from families, subject to social assistance, will reach 5000 children from vulnerable families.

In parallel with food and material assistance, people also receive accompanying support, which is aimed at overcoming social isolation and poverty in the long term. Accompanying measures can be supplemented with referral to measures and activities for employment and training, financed by ESF+.

At the moment, the program marks an early financial implementation. The agreed funds are more than 90%, and the funds declared to the European Commission are almost 53% of the total budget. This puts the FBMA in first place of all programs funded in Bulgaria and is among the top five EU countries in terms of realized interim payments under ESF+.

For the second program period, the SAA is the managing authority of the programs to address material deprivation, financed by the European Union. For the period 2014-2020 through the Operational Program “Food and/or Basic Material Assistance” (OPFA), funded by the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, a total of 3,265,520 people and members of their families were supported with 105,711.69 tons of food products. On average, more than 50,000 needy citizens received a hot meal, and during the crisis caused by COVID-19, their number reached 70,000. 39,923 vouchers worth BGN 100 for the purchase of food and essential goods were also distributed to 35,566 people and children of displaced persons from Ukraine.

In the program period 2021 – 2027, the support is expanded, as in addition to food and material support for the most vulnerable groups living in poverty and deep social isolation, it also contributes to the European Child Guarantee.

In 2024, nearly 555,000 people and members of their families received support with food product and hygiene material packages with 17 types of food products, and more than 525,000 people received packages with nine types of hygiene materials.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Social Affairs announced that the Management Board of the "Social Protection" Fund has approved the financing of 51 projects of municipalities to improve the material base of the Home Social Patronage with a total value of 1.276 million euros.