Eni Foundation in partnership with the Community of Sant'Egidio, with the Campagna Amica Foundation and Coldiretti, to help the elderly over 80 affected by the economic consequences of the pandemic with the donation of 20 food packages
Today, the "You are not alone" initiative promoted by Eni Foundation in partnership with the Community of Sant'Egidio ACAP Onlus, the Campagna Amica Foundation and Coldiretti, which provides for the delivery of 20 thousand home food parcels to the elderly over 80, among population groups most affected by the effects of the pandemic crisis.
The initiative of Eni Foundation, the Eni Foundation established at the end of 2006 to promote and implement social and humanitarian solidarity initiatives in Italy and in the world, is aimed at people over eighty years of age, citizens of three large cities Italians, Milan, Rome and Naples, who live in a situation of extreme difficulty because they are not included in any assistance network.
It is estimated that in the three cities selected for the project there are more than 380.000 elderly people over 80; 5% of them are in a state of absolute poverty. It is therefore about 19 thousand elderly people exposed to the risk of not being able to provide for their own survival. Of these, a part lives in institutions or rsa and others in the family and in charge of public services. On the other hand, 35% of these people in a state of absolute poverty are not connected to any help network; it is to these 6.700 fragile people that the initiative is aimed.
The project, lasting 5 months, foresees the delivery of food packages at home, during three periods: the first distribution was started today; the second will take place in February 2021 and the third in the period March-April 2021. The delivery of the three parcels for each person will be carried out by the operators of the Community of Sant'Egidio, (door to door), who have been working for more than 40 years for and with the elderly.
The initiative has a dual purpose: to face, with emergency and assistance interventions, the primary needs of the person in difficulty and to support, at the same time, the birth of a relationship that facilitates the care of the elderly in of fragility and isolation with interventions and gradual paths in order to improve his living conditions through a complete information of the network of assistance services and existing opportunities.
The food package will be composed of numerous and diversified non-perishable products (about 12 kg), 100% Italian, selected by Coldiretti and the Campagna Amica Foundation, able to guarantee a correct diet for the recipient. Furthermore, each delivery will be accompanied by the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (masks) provided by Eni.
The Covid 19 emergency has revealed how the centrality of proximity and solidarity networks today takes on an even more important and essential role, especially to counteract the loneliness and isolation of many people, especially the most fragile, such as Senior citizens.
The initiative aims to address the impact of the economic and social consequences of the pandemic on the state of poverty of the elderly: many of them, who initially managed to cope with the difficulties and costs associated with the first months of the health emergency, are now struggling to provide for the necessary, such as the payment of household utilities and the purchase of food and basic necessities. All this makes them victims of extreme distress and isolation.
With this initiative, the Eni Foundation has thought of a small concrete gesture of closeness and help with the hope of being able to give a moment of serenity to those who live in particularly difficult situations in this period.