Food support in Palermo during Covid-19

Palermo, a city pilot of EasyRights, has put in place two different mechanisms to support economically vulnerable individual and families.

1. The first one is organized by three big food banks, “Banco Opera della Carità”, “Banco Alimentare” and Caritas, that provide a bag of non perishable food to those who ask for it. In some cases this is delivered at home. This intervention is financed by the “National Fund Against Poverty”.

2. The second one is being implemented thanks to the funds provided by the Italian Government (by a decree of the 28th of March) to Municipalities to fight against food deprivation in the mist of covid-19 emergency. Palermo received 5.143.562,76 euros from the Food Solidarity Fund (400 million euros for the whole country).

The Civil Protection and the Municipality of Palermo are working together with the help of third sector organizations to set up a central agency that will dispense voucher to individuals and families. Vouchers will be accessible by a special app or a social card and vary according to the economic condition and the dimension of families that apply for this benefit. Benefits range from 30 to 150 euros per week. Around 15.000 applications have been registered in the platform.