Food businesses make donations: big brands to the rescue of Italian hospitals

Donations to hospitals: Rana, De Cecco, La Molisana, Ferrarelle

The pasta sector has activated its efforts, starting with the Pastificio Rana pasta factory, which donated 400,000 euros towards the purchase of assisted ventilation machinery for Pederzoli hospital in Peschiera del Garda and Sacro Cuore Don Calabria hospital in Negrar. There is also De Cecco, with its 250,000 euros destined to the Abruzzo Region for the purchase of 10 respirators; and La Molisana, which has bought three lung ventilators for the Intensive Care Unit of Cardarelli hospital in Campobasso. 200,000 euros also come from Ferrarelle, in favour of hospitals in the cities where the factories are located, Naples and Brescia, to combat the Coronavirus emergency, "an immediate and effective choice to meet the needs of the moment".

Lavazza and donations to hospitals

The world of coffee is also engaged: Lavazza runs in support of the health emergency by allocating 10 million euros for various projects. Specifically, 6 million will go to the Piedmont Region – Coronavirus emergency support, responding to the "iocisono" fundraising initiative to purchase the necessary for health facilities and staff. Another 3 million euros will be donated to the La Stampa - Specchio dei tempi Foundation, to provide hospitals with new equipment and medical material for intensive care units and ER units, as well as providing free sanitizing kits to schools in Turin schools that may request it, plus bring the elderly basic necessities if experiencing difficulty. Finally, 1 million euros will be allocated to a number of bodies and associations active in the area in support of the weakest and most disadvantaged sections of the population.
A significant initiative promoted to "give a positive signal and a concrete commitment, in the belief that with a common joint and immediate contribution we can flatten the curve and get out of the emergency to allow Italy to start again", as the Group explained in a note. But also in Piedmont, Bongiovanni and Suqqo, Turin companies that convey their solidarity contribution through e-commerce, are also mobilized: the former, for online purchases of Antiqua Farina until April 16, will pay 50% of the proceeds to Italian hospitals; the latter, for each box ordered, will donate €5 and two fruit juices to Molinette hospital in Turin.

Donations to hospitals: Italian supermarkets

There are also many supermarkets that have chosen to be in the front line to help Italy's health personnel. Esselunga has provided a donation of 2.5 million euros to hospitals and patient care institutions, and also launches a challenge to its customers: until March 31, for every 500 cash points used, the market chain will donate 5 euros to the most important healthcare institutions affected. In return, customers get a free board game. Eataly instead donated a percentage of its income to research, while Eurospin donated 100,000 euros to support Istituto Nazionale Spallanzani in Rome and Sacco Hospital in Milan: “We want to make a concrete contribution to our country in a moment of national emergency that has no precedent in recent Italian history”.

by Michela Becchi