a solidarity bank card to help the homeless in France

It’s 9 p.m. In the Part-Dieu district of Lyon (Rhône), Kalel (1), 49, covered in a red blanket on his shoulders to combat the January cold, has his eyes glued to the novelty presented by the volunteers from Urgence social rue. Regularly on the move in the area, the association brought hot drinks and cakes, and above all a kit, called Solly: a neck lanyard equipped with a QR code and a payment card, which allows the homeless to collect donations without contact. “It’s great,” said the Lyonnais spontaneously. Can I use it tonight?”

Having been on the street for around ten years and used to begging, he immediately sees an advantage in it: “The passers-by will undoubtedly be suspicious at first, but with a good speech, we should be able to convince and hope for a little more than a one euro coin!” Like the 350,000 people on the streets in France (2), Kalel has suffered for years from the disappearance of cash in the daily lives of the French, a large part of whose payments are now dematerialized.

Ten cities already equipped

In 2018, Tim Deguette, then a student in Lille, saw it with his own eyes: “When I went to buy my lunch in a supermarket, I met the same people every day, and each time I apologized for not having change.” For the young man, who developed a taste for entrepreneurship very early on, the idea of ​​a “card donation” was born, which he left to mature for several years. In 2023, when the Covid crisis has further worsened the situation, it launches itself, conducts an initial market study, and brings together experts from the associative world and digital technologies.

Several initiatives aimed at dematerialized donations have already emerged in France, but none have been deployed sustainably. “Until now, we haven’t paid much attention to donors, even though they are the key to success: to agree to donate, they must have absolute trust,” says Tim Deguette. Solly’s survey reveals the same fear for 70% of them: participating in the purchase of drugs or alcohol. The solution: a payment card associated with a QR code via which you can give between 2 and 100 euros, secured by a personal pin code, and compatible only with essential purchases such as food, clothing or accommodation.

Secure your kitty against theft

Developed in the style of lunch cards and guaranteeing a secure transfer, its prototype brings together 80,000 euros in crowdfunding and obtained the support of patrons and institutional partners the following year. Since November 2025, the kit has been distributed to 160 beneficiaries in around ten cities, including Bordeaux, Chambéry and Amiens. Beyond general public communication, the success of this solidarity card is at stake at each stage of its deployment: Solly trains associations helping the homeless, who then present it to beneficiaries, so that they become the best ambassadors…

Accompanied by two volunteers, Fanny, 38, and Camille, 22, Jean-Luc Nevoso, treasurer of Urgence social rue, is delighted to be able to offer disadvantaged Lyonnais this tool that he has been waiting for “for a very long time”. In front of him, Sylviane, 63 years old, ten of whom she spent in the street with her partner, wants to test it before deciding, but she says she’s excited: “It’s quite simple to use and I think it can work,” she says with a smile, “especially with the residents with whom I’ve created a bond.” The system also has another advantage: the possibility of securing your kitty against theft.

A volunteer team

“The simple fact of obtaining a payment card is, for many homeless people, a very strong mark of consideration,” adds Damien Hespel, vice-president of the Lille association Les Soldiers du Smile, which started distribution three months ago. “Today, they come to get it themselves,” he continues.

After a first phase of deployment until the spring, Solly – whose team will remain entirely voluntary, insists Tim Deguette – wishes to cover around twenty cities in 2026 and has the ambition to subsequently extend to other European countries.

1) The first name has been changed.

2) Source: Foundation for Housing the Disadvantaged.