With the ever-increasing cost of living, it can be hard for many people of all ages to buy the most basic necessities - such as food and clothing. This pressure is particularly intense among families with children, and those with disabilities or caring responsibilities. Worse still, the social stigma surrounding poverty prevents many from seeking help. 

Giovanni is 48 years old and lives in Italy. He experienced problems at work and struggled to pay for his basic needs as a result. The City of Brescia E-vouchers scheme supported from the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) was there to help him. 

The needs of those helped with e-vouchers are identified either by social services or through social workers’ outreach activities. Those who qualify for vouchers are then assigned a social worker, who tailors the aid they receive based on a needs-based assessment. 

The vouchers are not just a one off. They are distributed monthly, and the amount of financial help varies depending on the person’s family situation with another EUR 100 added for children up to the age of three. 

The system is easy to use too. The vouchers are provided on a card (like a normal payment card) and accompanying smartphone app, allowing vouchers to be redeemed electronically. For people like Giovanni, this versatility makes the vouchers easier to manage and use. 

Giovanni is grateful to the project, saying ‘thanks to the electronic vouchers received from the social services of the Municipality of Brescia, I was able to overcome a difficult moment.’ 

The E-vouchers project, which is part of FEAD’s ‘Food and/or basic material assistance Operational Programme’ has been a real success in its primary aim of delivering financial aid to the most deprived. The project owes this to allowing users to make purchases anywhere near their homes, using the card or the app, with no requirement to redeem the vouchers at specific (and possibly distant) locations. 

The project has already helped more than 500 people to meet their households’ basic needs while removing the stigma of poverty – empowering individuals to make their own choices with a bit of financial help.