Alessandria has inaugurated a new form of social support that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of assistance: the Solidarity Emporium, active since February 2023 at the Caritas center in via delle Orfanelle 25. This place, born from the joint support of Caritas Italiana and the Foundation Social, offers an essential service for many families going through difficult periods.
In one year of activity, the Emporium has already made a difference for 127 people in situations of economic hardship, becoming a point of reference not only for the distribution of basic necessities but also as a space for meeting and building meaningful relationships . The points system adopted, which allows purchases of up to a maximum of 150 per month, varying based on the ISEE and the number of family members, guarantees dignity and discretion to the people assisted.
Giampaolo Mortara, director of Caritas Alessandria, underlines the importance of the Emporium not only as a response to material needs, but also as a place of territorial community animation. The experience, defined as innovative and replicable, made it possible to launch numerous local initiatives and strengthen the link between Caritas and the other social and voluntary organizations of the city.
Thanks to this model, which also sees the collaboration of supermarkets such as Coop and Bennet and the Centrale del Latte di Alessandria, as well as the contribution of individual donations, the Emporium has distributed over 71 thousand items, evidence of active and shared solidarity.
Silvia Coscia, Caritas operator in charge of the Emporium, emphasizes that the service offered is a significant support, but not the definitive answer to the problem of poverty. However, she highlights how the Emporium has become a place where empathy and dialogue are cultivated, enriching the lives of volunteers and users.
Each family has access to the Emporium for six months, after which the service extends to new families, with constant attention to their stories and needs. This approach ensures that the Solidarity Emporium is more than just a distribution point: it is an example of how communities can come together to offer a safety net that is not limited to just material support, but expands to nurturing relationships human, as demonstrated by the simple inclusion of a product such as yeast, requested by a user.
The Solidarity Emporium of Alessandria is therefore confirmed not only as a successful healthcare model, but also as a tangible demonstration of the added value that community and solidarity bring to the social fabric of the city.
From: https://mag.corriereal.info
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