Porte Verte / Snijboontje is a multidisciplinary social center founded in 1975 in the municipality of Molenbeek. The organization aims to improve the quality of life for residents in the area and promote social inclusion through a variety of initiatives and support services for people in vulnerable situations: social assistance and reception, food aid, training and socio-educational and cultural integration, tackling school dropout, early childhood care…
They provide crucial support to many families and isolated individuals. Among the six services offered by the organization, the Social Service was the first to be created. One of its main pillars is food aid, delivered in two ways: through the Social Restaurant, which offers a warm and welcoming space where isolated and underprivileged individuals can enjoy hot meals at very low prices, and through a food parcel distribution center.
After 50 years of commitment, Porte Verte / Snijboontje has become a key player in local community development, aiming for better living conditions and inclusion. In 2022, the organization learned it would have to leave the premises it had occupied since its creation due to the building being sold. It then launched a renovation project to bring all its services together in one new location. As part of this vision of empowerment and emancipation, the reconstruction of the Social Restaurant marks the first step in a broader initiative: the Integrated Social Hub.
This project consists of three phases:
- Setting up and quickly reopening the Social Restaurant;
- Fitting out the first floor to house staff offices, a break room, and restrooms;
- Converting the second and third floors into social housing units.
The Saint-Gobain Foundation funded 18% of the first phase budget (€67,617), covering the installation of window frames, windows, fire doors, and labor. These upgrades will improve thermal comfort for the people supported by the organization.
The reopening of the Social Restaurant is scheduled for June 2025!
