On Saturday 11 May, the Dona una Spesa food collection event promoted by Conad Centro Nord returns to the province of Reggio Emilia, a precious opportunity for all of us to express solidarity and support for families in economic difficulty. The initiative, this year in its fifth edition, is created thanks to the collaboration between Conad Centro Nord, the CSV Emilia volunteer service center and local volunteers.
Once again, the invitation is to join forces to face the challenges that food poverty brings with it and to do so by adding something extra to our cart, to give it to others. It’s a way to not turn your back on those who struggle every day to put a meal on the table. Because today, too many families still find themselves in an extremely fragile situation, and the number of those who need help continues to increase. In the province of Reggio, we are talking about several thousand families and people.
The network involved in Dona una Spesa testifies to the importance of an initiative that was born in Parma eleven years ago and extended, in the year of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, to Reggio Emilia, Piacenza and throughout Lombardy, thanks to the support of the Network of Volunteer Service Centers. A true example of widespread solidarity which, in our province alone, has made it possible to collect and donate 97,103 kg of basic necessities since 2020, of which 21,766 kg last year.
The necessary foods are those that we should all have in the pantry: pasta, rice, tomato puree, long-life milk, flour, oil, sugar and honey, biscuits and snacks, canned tuna, canned meat and legumes. But let’s not forget that we also need food and products for children, personal hygiene and home cleaning. This year the food collection is part of the bis operation, meaning you get 2 products and pay for 1 for a vast basket of products, thus facilitating donations.
We will be able to entrust them to one of the over 450 volunteers who will take turns at the entrance of the 34 Conad sales points in Reggio Emilia and its province on Saturday, ready to collect what we choose to donate. They belong to associations, emporiums, Red Crosses, parishes and Caritas active to combat poverty. It will be the organizations involved that will distribute the food to needy families: a breath of fresh air, important for facing the next few months with a little more serenity.
The thirty-two organizations that will act as channels of our solidarity are: Associazione Partecipazione, Azione Solidale, Caritas Correggese, Caritas di Bibbiano, Caritas Fabbrico, Caritas Felina, Caritas parish S. Maria Assunta di Villa Sesso RE, Caritas listening center Santa Maria Assunta of Puianello, Casina Listening Centre; Rossi Cross of Canossa, Cavriago, Reggiolo, Novellara, Rubiera, Reggio Emilia, Scandiano, Luzzara and Guastalla, Guastalla Good Samaritan Project, Dora Solidarity Emporium, Guastalla Solidarity Emporium, Finestra del Sole, Unipromos, Mustard Seed, BVM Addolorate Parish Caritas Group and S. Celestino I° P Cadelbosco Sotto, Helps APS Evangelical Association “Assemblies of God in Italy”, La Nuova Luce, Parish of Vetto, Parish of Rio Saliceto and Associazione San Vincenzo De Paolo Parish, Parish of San Pellegrino, Parish of San Marco of Canali Reggio Emilia, Taneto Parish Caritas “Joy of the Gospel Pastoral Unit” Taneto, Merciful Father Pastoral Unit
“Donate a shopping is not just a food collection, but also hope, solidarity and support for the families who need it most. Thanks to the collaboration with CSV, the commitment of volunteers and the generosity of citizens, we can be close to those who are going through moments of fragility, demonstrating that together we can make a difference” says Paola Rondanini, member of the Board of Directors of Conad Centro Nord. And she continues: “This initiative, born 11 years ago in Parma, then extended to all the provinces in which we are present, collecting 646 tons of products, confirming the solidity and continuity of our commitment in the territory.”
Last year, Conad Centro Nord, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its birth, donated 60 thousand euros in total to all the associations in Lombardy and Emilia involved in the food collection for the purchase of basic necessities to celebrate the anniversary. The contribution was paid to the Reggio Emilia organizations that participated in the project in the form of prepaid cards for an amount of 11,800 euros.
