The press conference was attended by the assessor of the Campania Region Lucia Fortini, the auxiliary bishop of Naples Gaetano Castello. In the evening shows at Porta Capuana.
Guaranteeing the right to access food and food dignity, promoting the paths out of poverty for those who turn to soup kitchens and food distribution centers. This is what the Solidarity Pass project is doing, which presented, in the press conference at the San Vincenzo de Paoli soup kitchen, the results achieved so far and the objectives for the next few months of activity. A moment that precedes the evening event, live on the web TV Volwer, where, at Porta Capuana, the results of the workshops will be on display, the performance of the street artists Baracca dei Buffoni and the music of popular tradition with the Cortili Narranti.
The conference, moderated by volunteer Gabriele Gesso and introduced by the president of San Vincenzo Napoli Carmelina Palmese, was attended by regional councilor Lucia Fortini, the auxiliary bishop of Naples Monsignor Gaetano Castello, the director of the diocesan Caritas of Naples Sister Maria Pitrella and the director of the diocesan Caritas of Acerra Vincenzo Castaldo.
“Eradicating all forms of welfare is the mission that the Society of St. Vincent De Paul has always pursued, a common goal for all partners in the Solidarity Pass network”Carmela Palmese began by recalling the genesis of the project: "The idea originated in 2016, when San Vincenzo del Sud Italia felt a strong need to strengthen and qualify the presence of Southern Vincentian volunteers and improve interventions in favor of people experiencing difficulties. The foundations were thus laid for a change that would allow volunteers to acquire new methodologies and skills that respond to the needs that emerged from the social context. For this reason – added Palmese – the network that has grown and strengthened over the years and that deals with bringing together experiences that promote access to food by combating waste and optimizing the services offered”.
According to regional councilor Lucia Fortini: “Often, as the events in Caivano demonstrate, there are territories where the third sector is not particularly developed. This project, on the other hand, tells us the opposite, bringing out two interesting things: it tries to immediately lend a hand to people who are in difficulty, but, most importantly, it develops good practices and provides tools, so that a social fabric can become independent, otherwise resources alone make little sense. You have them, you invest them in the territory, perhaps even with an association that comes from outside, then once the project is finished nothing remains. This, on the other hand, has a long-term vision”.
Monsignor Gaetano Castello spoke about the end of welfare tout court and the start of virtuous practices: “All this is possible if you do a job like the San Vincenzo project intends to do, online. Because working alone in these fields, where you don't think about begging but about giving dignity to the person, requires accompaniment with different specificities. This is a way to slowly contribute to overcoming that wait for assistance that is only financial or only with food that many, it seems, are satisfied with. Up to the actual experience of begging, with people who only ask for money, without wanting to enter into projects to recover that lost dignity, even though much more could be done. We must be brave and overcome this culture that still dominates in many of those who come to ask for help".
Solidarity Pass, the three areas of intervention
The first area concerns the optimization of the collection and distribution system of donated food by reducing waste and managing surpluses in the best possible way. “The Digital Platform model - explains Giuseppe Cafarella, President of FORGAT ODV which co-finances the initiative - is based on the Online Guided Checklist (OGC) already applied in healthcare and based on software developed by the company Ad Maiora”. With this system, it is possible to define the need for dry and fresh products and also guarantee the latter to users thanks to the Spesa Giusta card which will start on an experimental basis next October.
The second area of intervention concerns the identification of users who want to invest in skill acquisition paths starting from the preferences expressed by the latter during the listening phase of the beneficiaries. This is how the two operational laboratories on Light Assistance and Hall Assistant were born, which will be held starting this September in Naples and Acerra.
The many volunteers involved agree in reporting that in addition to the aspects that appear to be prevalent such as access to food and material support, there is an evident need to also rebuild social and solidarity relationships. This is the third area of intervention that is structured with the Mensa Aperta initiative and with the implementation of urban gardens that are increasingly moments of aggregation and exchange of practices.
Article published on 11 September 2023 - 10:45
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