Italy has unquestionably been one of the countries hit hardest throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. And it’s no surprise that in Italy, like in many other places, those who are struggling the most are those who even before the pandemic hit already faced low-income or zero-income earnings: the unemployed, the homeless, the children of prisoners, children excluded from access to digital schools, those who rely on help from social centers for immigrant families with children, care givers without work.
While we mourn too many souls lost to the pandemic, we are also reminded that there are also many victims who are barely surviving. To this end a vast solidarity project began in 2020 and continued in 2021, carried out throughout Italy by the Friars Minor Conventuals.
Thanks to the generosity of supporters of St Anthony Charities, we are able to provide not only food parcels, but also financial assistance to pay rent, bills, mortgages, to purchase tablets for school, to pay for needed services such as, day care centers to protect the homeless and support the unemployed by creating virtual job-seeking initiatives.
In order to complete this massive undertaking, St Anthony’s friars partnered with parishes, diocesan caritas agencies, associations, cooperatives, and educational institutes. Amongst the many requests that arrived 10 projects were selected for funding, covering 8 Italian regions.
Southern Italy
CALABRIA
Grantee: Custodia Provinciale Ofm Conv. (Franciscan Order) – Palmi
Beneficiaries: 35 families with children with low or $0 income
Project Description: provide weekly food provisions and rental assistance
Total Funded: $25,000
PUGLIA
Grantee: Onlus S. Francesco – Provincia Santi Nicola e Francesco (Franciscan Order) – Bari Beneficiaries: 40 families with young children who are unemployed and underemployed
Project Description: to provide weekly food provisions and rental assistance
Total Funded: $25,000.00
CAMPANIA
Grantee: Centro La Tenda (Nonprofit org) – Napoli
Beneficiaries: adults with kids and homeless and unemployed
Project Description: house homeless men, women and children during daytime hours and provide hygiene kits, and medical and emergency assistance
Total Funded: $25,000.00
SICILIA
Grantee: Associazione Parco Del Sole (Nonprofit org) Palermo
Beneficiaries: 30 families with young kids and also youths struggling due to the pandemic
Project Description: provide food, rental assistance, education to help families stay in their homes
Total Funded: $16,000.00
Central Italy
ABBRUZZO
Grantee: Provincia Italiana San Francesco d’Assisi (Franciscan Order) –Assisi
Beneficiaries: 35 families with young children many of whom are unemployed and/or underemployed
Project Description: provide food supplies, utilities, rent, and mortgage assistance
Total Funded: $25,000.00
ABBRUZZO
Grantee: Mensa San Francesco Frati Ofm Conv. (Franciscan Order) – Pescara
Beneficiaries: 30 families with young children, elderly and unemployed
Project Description: provide grocery vouchers to individuals who lost their jobs.
Total Funded: $20,000.00
Northern Italy
LIGURIA
Grantee: Associazione Diritti e Liberta (Nonprofit org) – Genova
Beneficiaries: 350 families with young children and their incarcerated relatives
Project Description: buy from wholesale grocers food and cleaning supplies
Total Funded: $25,000.00
VENETO
Grantee: San Camillo Comprensivo Schools (Nonprofit org) – Legnano
Beneficiaries: 50 children who don’t have access to computers/tablet for remote learning
Project Description: purchase 50 tablets to give to children in primary school
Total Funded: $25,000.00
VENETO
Grantee: Riesco Coop Onlus (Nonprofit org) – Padova
Beneficiaries: 110 families, including disabled adults and elderly individuals
Project Description: provide food boxes weekly to families in need of assistance who are not working due to the pandemic, and offer them job training and re-employment training.
Total Funded: $25,000.00
LOMBARDIA
Grantee: Caritas Ambrosiana (Nonprofit org) – Milan
Beneficiaries: 50 poor families of low skill workers, underemployed, unemployed
Project Description: provide food and rent and utilities assistance during pandemic lockdown
Total Funded: $25,000.00
In 2020, thanks to the support of St Anthony’s followers and devotees, grants ranging from $16,000 to $25,000 for a total of $236,000 were awarded to 8 Franciscan ministries (from Sicily to Lombardi) to assist our brothers and sisters (young and old) with food, shelter, medical, rental and utilities assistance.
