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Community kitchens have already served approximately 10 million free meals.
Published on 16/05/2026 - 17:34 | Updated
Operating since January, the unit serves 280 meals a day - Iago Campos / Rio City Hall The mayor of Rio, Eduardo Cavaliere, visited the Cantinho do Bem da Saibreira Community Kitchen in Bangu this Saturday (May 16). Operating since January, the unit serves 280 meals daily to people in situations of social vulnerability, who have been previously registered. From January to May, the kitchen has already distributed 15.476 meals. In the accumulated period between 2022 and March 2026, there are already 75 kitchens and almost 10 million free meals destined for people in situations of food insecurity.
Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere not only visited the facility but also made a point of enjoying a plate of feijoada with rice and farofa. He emphasized that the program's success proves that the City Hall is attentive to people living in situations of extreme vulnerability.
"In these 75 kitchens, those who need it most are served. Each person who receives this meal has been identified, it was part of a diagnosis. There is a focus on prioritizing those who need it most, where hunger is most acute, where there is a situation of extreme vulnerability," he said.
Launched in June 2022, the program has significantly expanded its service capacity. The municipal secretary of Labor and Income, Manoel Vieira, highlighted the social impact of the Community Kitchens on the daily lives of the population.
"These new kitchens are renewing the spirits of the people of Rio, who need food, who need guarantees of food security. The favelas in the West Zone and the North Zone have a great demand for food security. When we arrive at a community kitchen in Rio and see the line formed, it's not just about food. It's about dignity, it's about caring for those who need it most. Each meal delivered there carries a little bit of hope. Our job is to ensure that these people are not forgotten and that they have the basics on the table every day," he said.
Community kitchens operate within the communities. Social workers conduct registration and analyze socioeconomic conditions to determine if the family is eligible to receive the benefit.
A mother of two, homemaker Luciana Paula da Silva, a resident of Bangu, is one of those who benefited. She praised the variety of meals offered daily:
– The food is great, and the people who serve are very kind-hearted, always welcoming me with affection and attention. It's a wonderful meal. The food is varied: chicken, feijoada (Brazilian black bean stew), ground beef, and there's always fruit. It's a good way to save money. It helps a lot. A very welcome help.
Mayor announces Morar Carioca program in Pavuna.
Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere launched the urbanization and infrastructure works in the Nova Conquista community, in Pavuna, and in the Vila Alvorada and Vila Bereti Community Association, in Anchieta. The R$ 14,7 million investment in the two areas represents dignity, security, and access to basic rights for 3,1 people in 781 households. The actions include water and sewage networks, drainage, public lighting, paving and slope containment, as well as landscaping, health, education, culture, and leisure facilities. The works are part of the Morar Carioca program, executed by the Municipal Housing Secretariat (SMH).
Since 2021, the Rio de Janeiro City Hall has invested a total of R$ 873,653 million in Morar Carioca projects across all regions of Rio, including projects already completed, underway, and those with interventions about to begin.
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