In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
The French have been doing this type of collection for quite a few years now and I think it is a great idea. Generally, they give you a list with what they really need or are short of. I remember that the last time they were asking for toothbrushes, toothpaste and personal hygiene items as well as the usual food. A good idea, as these people have other needs as well.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I've contibuted to it in German supermarkets as well.
Nice to know it is also happening in Italy.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
It has been happening in Italy at this time of year for many many years and as Gala mentioned you are often offered a list of the most needed items, foodstuffs or otherwise.
As an aside, we often come across something similar where they are collecting cat / dog food for a local refuge.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Same thing happens in Milan and up here in the Valtellina. Super idea, and I trust such things when carried out by the Civil Protection people or the local church.
I seem to remember similar things happening in the UK, but for animal centres and suchlike.
I do up small parcels (but nearly a sackload at Christmas) of dog food for my local ENPA dog pound where I got my mutt from. They get NO government support. So could I (please?) muscle in on Nielo's thread just for a moment and say - If your local supermaket, or shop [I]doesn't[/I] collect for needy people, could you perhaps think about a pack or two of dry dog food for your local abandoned dogs (or cats)?
[URL="http://milan.angloinfo.com/information/31/animals.asp"]>ENPA Lombardia link<[/URL]
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
No problem Carole, anything ‘we who have’, can do to help ‘those who have not’ has got to be a good thing.
I worked in a Max Security prison for many years, and the opportunity for prisoners to do any ‘good’ were few. So each year we asked them to donate items for the homeless. No end of prison issue toothpaste, tea bags and packs of sugar made their way to a homeless shelter each Christmas. It was also good to remind them that although they were all very sorry for themselves, there were people who were cold and hungry.
Yes - it is a nice idea, and I remember reading in the local press last year (following this collection) a sort of 'league table' of which supermarket had the most generous donors! It is a big thing in my area, and it is called the Giornata Nazionale della Colletta Alimentare. Now (Italian lesson!) colletta is what you stick your tiles down with, so it is a solidarity sort of word, but can also mean collection.
It is so easy to help this way - you just throw a few cans of beans or tuna or unperishable baby foods etc into a separate shopping sack, and hand it to the prot civ or whoever chap is standing after the tills. I hadn't clocked Nielo's point that it is a very 'direct' way of helping - but that is an important point of view.
If your particular favourite supermarket wasn't participating today, why not mention it to them the next time you shop? The more the merrier in this useful initiative!