Social programs such as Restaurante do Povo, Café do Trabalhador and RJ Alimenta assist the population in different locations across the state

“This meal is essential for me. Restaurante do Povo greatly improved the lives of the population. I go from Monday to Friday at lunch time.” The words of Rosangela Regina, who currently works as a street vendor, summarize how the State Government has been honoring its commitment to fight against hunger in Rio de Janeiro. Lunch, served at Restaurante do Povo, is just one of the work fronts of the Secretariat of Social Development and Human Rights in promoting nutritious meals to the population of Rio de Janeiro. Together, the restaurants, Café do Trabalhador and RJ Alimenta, form the government's major action plan against food insecurity. 

The programs already implemented move in the same direction as one of the G20's main proposals: the formation of a Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, which should be structured throughout the year and launched at the Summit of Heads of State and Government, in Rio de Janeiro, in November. 

- The challenges are great, but so are our numbers and they show that we are on the right path in combating hunger. Our programs cover the main meals of the day, from breakfast to dinner. Balanced food served every day to the population. Food on the plate is dignity, social development and health – declared governor Cláudio Castro

All-day meals

Brazil has around 30 million people in conditions of hunger or food and nutritional insecurity. Of this total, almost 10% are in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Fighting hunger is the main mission of the State Government. Each program, developed by the Secretariat for Social Development and Human Rights, has its own particularity and, together, they offer meals from breakfast to dinner, for people in social vulnerability.

Café do Trabalhador

For just R$ 0.50, the Fluminense city buys a kit containing butter, fruit, and coffee - with or without milk. The service is carried out in partnership with city halls in strategic locations, with large traffic of people, close to road ends and public transport stations.

As the first Café do Trabalhador pole inaugurated in 2022, there are now 38 municipalities served, with 45 points operating in different regions of the state. With all units sold, 16 thousand breakfast kits are offered per day. Currently, the goal is to cover all 92 municipalities. Thus, more than 35 thousand people will start the day fed. 

Restaurante do Povo 

The State Government program offers food for a subsidized price - which varies between R$ 1.00 and R$ 3.50 - and there are 11 units in operation, in different cities.

More than 26 thousand nutritionally adequate, safe and saucy meals are offered daily: rice, beans, salty, protein, dessert and juice. In addition to lunch, some units also offer breakfast and afternoon lunch, always at symbolic prices.

RJ Alimenta

With a wider range of meals served at different times, RJ Alimenta works through Emergency Food Assistance Units designed to provide, free of charge, breakfasr, lunch and soup in lunchbox system. Currently, there are six units of RJ Alimenta: three in the capital, one in Campos dos Goytacazes, one in Magé and another in Nova Iguaçu. Daily, the program offers 8,705 meals.

Expansion in 2024

Fighting hunger is one of the pillars of the State Government's current management and requires continuous work. Therefore, this year, more center openings of programs to combat food insecurity are planned. In the first half of 2024, the forecast is to open 4 more Cafés do Trabalhador, in different parts of the state. Together, they will make an additional 1,500 kits available per day. Deliveries from another 4 Restaurate do Povo are also scheduled, which will total another 11,000 meals provided daily by the State Government