FEAD 2018 Catalogue of case studies

Italy – Accompanying the hard to reach in designing their own path out of poverty Caritas Diocese of Verona Images © Anna Maria Bonamini, 2018 WHY? There is a high number of people at risk of social marginalisation in Verona. These groups are hard to reach and do not benefit from traditional private or public measures to fight poverty, because they lack information about the services available or fear the social stigma that comes with being labelled as poor. However, if not quickly and adequately addressed, poverty and marginalisation risk becoming chronic. This is what the project tries to prevent, by combining material support with measures having a longer-term focus and engaging beneficiaries in the design of their own pathway out of poverty . WHAT? In partnership with food companies, the municipality and other charities, the project redistributes surplus food to disadvantaged households by setting up social stores. At the same time, families that have access to the social store system are engaged in capacity building sessions aimed at addressing the deep causes of their vulnerability , and supporting them in their transition out of poverty. In that sense, the project innovatively combines material support to families in need and preventative measures against poverty, while simultaneously reducing food waste. HOW? There are six social stores so far, and three more are due to open soon. Based on the ISEE (Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator), an indicator of the economic conditions of the family issued by the INPS (National Social Security Service), households can become eligible to receive a card that is recharged monthly, and gives them access to both fresh and packaged food. Diverse approaches to supporting Europe’s most deprived: FEAD case studies 2018 34