FEAD 2018 Catalogue of case studies

For more information regarding the project, contact Barbara Simoncelli, Projects and Coordination Branch at Caritas: Email: progetti@caritas.vr.it Phone: +390458302649 Website: www.caritas.vr.it WHO? The partner organisations Caritas Diocese of Verona (‘Associazione di Caritá San Zeno Onlus - Diocesi di Verona’) and the Christian Association of Italian Workers Verona (ACLI Verona) manage the project. These organisations plan and coordinate project activities in collaboration with the Municipality of Verona and the Italian Red Cross. The cooperation among these organisations makes it possible to identify the most hard to reach individuals and tailor measures accordingly . A number of local volunteering associations further help to refer beneficiaries. One of the innovative elements of this model is that families are able to shop according to their needs and tastes , which is not possible with traditional systems of food parcel distribution that deliver pre- established types and quantities of products. In stores, each food item receives a score based on their market price and their nutritional properties. Fresh food (for instance, vegetables, fruit and bread) is given a low score to encourage recipients to adopt a healthy diet . Products that are close to their expiry date also receive a low score as a way of reducing food waste. The families that benefit from food assistance sign an agreement through which they commit to co-thinking their pathway out of poverty together with project workers. This agreement specifies goals, opportunities and duties, and requires them to take part in training sessions, actively look for a job and participate in community events for a minimum of six months and up to a year. During this period, social workers and volunteers closely assist the beneficiaries in defining what kind of activities they need to attend to develop the desired skills . These activities include household planning and budgeting, rights and duties of the workers, family law, sewing and cooking classes, and CV checks. In 2017, the project accompanied over 1 000 families, facilitated 11 workshops and training sessions, and organised 2 community events as well as a Festival of Sustainability to raise awareness of the need to combat food waste. In addition, a number of local organisations help mobilise parishes, informal groups and local associations and engage them in project activities, thus multiplying beneficiaries’ opportunities and reinforcing their bonds with the local community. Let’s give each other a hand!” — Slogan of the project 35 Diverse approaches to supporting Europe’s most deprived: FEAD case studies 2018