Sant Joan de Déu launches ‘Cafè Solidari’ campaign against unwanted loneliness

In Barcelona, the 26% of the young people between the ages of 12 and 16 suffer from a severe loneliness. The 50% of the over 80 years of age are lonely. Every day a person dies of loneliness. The pandemic has exacerbated this problem. In this context, the Obra Social Sant Joan de Déu has just launched the ‘Cafè Solidari’ campaign to address this reality.

From October 21 to 30, the amount of all coffees consumed by individuals in the 400 establishments from Barcelona metropolitan area adhered to the campaign will go entirely to the. unwanted loneliness program of Sant Joan de Déu. These are the premises that, for the moment, have joined this solidarity initiative:

According to Sant Joan de Déu, loneliness is the “new silent pandemic of the 21st century”. and “breaking it is everyone’s responsibility”. The ‘Cafè Solidari’ of the institution has two objectives: on the one hand, raise awareness about this problem and raise funds to finance projects that help to improve the lives of the people served in the institution’s centers. This is a reality not only in Catalonia or Spain, but all over the world. Europe, more than 30 million people are lonely. One in four children 10 to 12 years old feels lonely.

Thus, Sant Joan de Déu encourages all citizens to go, between 21 and 30 October to go to their bars or cafes of reference and take a “solidarity coffee”. “Bars are spaces where many people who feel lonely find a place to socialize. Great relationships and bonds. have been forged around a coffee table,” the institution said in a statement.

But, in addition to having a coffee, there are other ways to participate in this campaign, such as, for example, making donations or by purchasing mugs through the campaign website.