Caritas Salerno: the “Don Tonino Bello” male dormitory reopened

A Salerno, in the premises adjacent to the Capuchin friars' convent in Piazza San Francesco, the “Don Tonino Bello” men's dormitory managed by Caritas reopened today.

The facility, which can accommodate up to 25 people, has already been active in the city since 2016 and will complement the services of the Polo della Carità, with a first reception dormitory and day center, and the San Francesco soup kitchen.

Don Flavio Manzo, director of Caritas Salerno, explained that the dormitory "is a second reception facility, which means that we will bring here the brothers who are free from addictions to offer them the possibility of better integrating into the world of work, better into society. It is a greater opportunity for redemption".

The Archbishop of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno, Monsignor Andrea Bellandi, underlined that the reopening of the dormitory is "a further sign of the attention that the Church and the Salerno community have for emergencies at various levels, including and above all housing ones".

“A structure like this – said Monsignor Bellandi – meets a second level need, because it is not immediate reception, but it is for those who wish to make a journey and also emerge from the emergency, to then reintegrate into society”.

The director of Caritas Salerno pointed out that "the numbers of poverty are always increasing, especially among families in Salerno who have difficulty making ends meet".

"With winter arriving and with bills rising - said Don Manzo - we often have requests for help from this point of view. And, with the cold that is taking its toll, even many brothers who previously lived on the streets are now knocking on our doors. There is a need to at least sleep warm, take a hot shower, have a hot meal".

Archbishop Bellandi recalled that the Church of Salerno is committed to helping people in difficulty. “We have – he said – the charity center in via Bastioni, where about 35 people are welcomed; from today, we have this reality, the 'Don Tonino Bello' center here in Piazza San Francesco; and then the Saverians who have been welcoming people in the winter for years, especially for people who are migrants. We are able to provide an answer of about eighty places which, certainly, does not solve 100%, but it gives a good possibility of welcoming people”.

The “Don Tonino Bello” dormitory is an important reality for the city of Salerno, which offers a reception and social reintegration service to people who live in difficulty. The commitment of the Church of Salerno to help the needy is an example of solidarity and charity.

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