Rome Newsroom, Dec 4, 2020 / 11:00 am
The United States' international aid agency has given a $900,000 grant to a Catholic group to provide food to people suffering from hunger in Italy because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Catholic Sant'Egidio community said it had increased its food donation projects with the help of the USAID funding and in collaboration with the International Union of Superiors General (UISG).
Speaking at a video press conference Thursday, Mauro Garofalo, head of Sant'Egidio's international relations, said: "In this period of health and social emergency, Sant'Egidio has increased its street service, the distribution of food to the homeless, the elderly and vulnerable families."
"The pandemic has had serious consequences on the Italian social and economic fabric," he said, noting that, thanks to the contribution of USAID, Sant'Egidio has been able to double the number of meals it serves in its soup kitchens and the number of take-away meals it hands out.