Poverty is increasing in Catania. This is revealed by the numbers of the Diocesan Caritas services presented this morning in the Archbishop’s Curia in the presence, among others, of Archbishop Monsignor Luigi Renna. The requests for help registered by the diocesan Caritas services show an “alarming” growth, with 356,259 interventions carried out during 2023, almost 13 thousand more than the previous year. Extending the analysis to the five-year period 2019-2023, the survey highlights in a more structured way the economic and social difficulties of the city through the observation point of Caritas’ action on the territory: 356 thousand in 2023 against 237 thousand in 2019 (+34% ).
The listening center
There were 4,401 users registered by the Listening Center in 2023 (+605 compared to 2022). From an analysis of the data recorded through the OspoWeb system of Caritas Italiana it emerges that on average these are men (72%), Italians (50%), with children (51%) in the age range between 25 and 54 years (63 %).
There are hundreds of volunteers working in Catania thanks also to the 8xmille to the Catholic Church and donations from citizens, companies and associations in the area and in deep interconnection with institutions and other local aid services. The Caritas Help Center is a social emergency room that guarantees listening and support interventions to vulnerable people every day, including holidays, for breakfast, dinner, clothing, baby products, also offering toilets and a hot shower. Also in the field is reception for women with minor victims of violence, consultancy for processing bureaucratic procedures, economic support for the payment of utilities, legal and psychological consultancy and banking mediation through microcredit.
Last year
During 2023, the numerically most significant element is confirmed as the canteen of the Help Center of the Central Station, where hot meals and other basic necessities are prepared and distributed for approximately 750 food interventions per day, equal to 277,695 per year.
