The “Il Barco” solidarity market is finally a reality in Cesena. It was inaugurated on 6 February, in the temporary headquarters of the Pievesestina fruit and vegetable market, waiting for the permanent premises at via Guido Rossa, in Torre del Moro, to be restored. Waiting any longer meant postponing the possibility of concretely helping families in socioeconomic difficulty. The market (210 square metres) is, in fact, a real minimarket where one can do their daily shopping, as well as finding a welcoming space for meeting and socialising. The market has also provided a place for storing goods.
The mayor of Cesena, Enzo Lattuca, attended the ribbon cutting, accompanied by the councilor for Personal and Family Services, Carmelina Labruzzo. Also present were representatives of social services and volunteering.
The solidarity market is managed by the "Il Barco Odv" association, officially established at the end of July 2022 by several nonprofits: Auser, the Italian Red Cross, ADRA Italia of the Adventist Church, San Vincenzo de Paoli, Mater Caritas, Campo Emmaus, the Life Help Center, and Arci Solidarietà.
With the birth of this association, "the Cesena solidarity network will be significantly strengthened," Labruzzo commented on the occasion. He had also highlighted the choice of the name "barco", that is, sheaf or heap of fodder, which places the emphasis on working together, investing energy and resources, with the aim of supporting socially and economically fragile people.
The solidarity market will offer goods and services to families and will accompany them on paths to independence.
“For me, this day is the beginning of a project that we have been preparing since 2020; and this is just the start," said Ugo Zanolar, vice president of the "Il Barco Odv" association and ADRA volunteer, after the inauguration.
“Now we have to work to do the work we had decided to do,” he added. “I lived this period of preparation with people who I called 'the ants'; people who gave themselves body and soul. When we needed them, they were there with a simple message. For me, this was something wonderful. I made a lot of acquaintances. I didn't live in Italy and, today, I created a network of friends. The second thing [is] now I have these ants who support me, and they still told me today: 'Ugo, when do we start?'. For me, this is the most beautiful thing; it is a wonderful project."
Someone has defined the special supermarket as "an evolution of the food parcel distribution service" by associations to less well-off families and, in some ways, this is true because it allows you to choose shopping products according to your needs.
Initially, the market will offer its service to one hundred families who will be able to purchase food, household and personal care products using a card with a credit in points, according to a maximum limit that can be spent in four weeks. About ten volunteers will take turns in the shop three days a week: Monday and Friday (from 1pm to 4pm) and Wednesday (from 11am to 2pm).
In addition to the various associations, the shelves will also be stocked by donations from local companies and the recovery of unsold products, with a relative fight against food waste.
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