The dinners began in 2010 when the group wanted to do something about the amount of good food going to waste. " To make it more than just a protest, we use it to give free food to people in difficulty." Mr. Calvo said. The timing is right for Spain, which is in a deepening recession and suffering a financial crisis. One in four people in the workforce is unemployed, and 21.8% of the population was living below the poverty line in 2011.