“The situation in the Algarve is worrying. We had an increase in requests for help at the beginning of the pandemic, from 16 thousand to 24 thousand people, and for the past three, four weeks the requests have increased”, with 25 thousand people now receiving support, the structure's president Nuno Alves told to Lusa News Agency.

According to the official, the expectation is “of the worst possible” situation, since the closure of hotels and restaurants in the region could happen “over the next few weeks” with the consequent need for more people in need of support.

The economic and social consequences of the covid-19 pandemic brought not only a demand for food support, but also a challenge in the search for donations, because it was not possible to carry out the usual two annual campaigns in supermarkets.