When someone is happy in Naples, instead of paying for a coffee for themselves, they pay for another coffee for someone else; it’s like offering a cup of coffee to the rest of the world.” This is how Luciano De Crescenzo described the philanthropic Neapolitan tradition of the “suspended coffee”, which over the years has inspired similar solidarity initiatives. Among the latest is the Suspended Meal project, promoted by Rotary Italy in various regions and now, after Monza and Cremona, launched in Trieste. The goal embraced by Rotary Club Trieste is to provide concrete help to those struggling to secure at least one meal a day. Donations, which can be made at participating businesses, are transferred to Caritas Diocesana Trieste, which converts them into actual meals distributed directly at its facilities or delivered to the homes of those in need.
“In an era where self-focus tends to weaken empathy—our ability to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes,” stated Alessandro Zanmarchi, President of Rotary Club Trieste, “it’s inspiring to think that a small gesture of care towards people in need (and often unknown to us) can not only improve their lives but, in many ways, our own. A suspended coffee, a suspended meal—these are small acts that can, in their simplicity, open up great possibilities and spark virtuous change. Regarding the recipients of this support, we aim to extend our attention and action to include individuals and families who, finding themselves suddenly in financial difficulty due to temporary crises, choose to hide their struggles with dignified discretion, often until they reach critical levels of deprivation.”
The initiative was also met with great satisfaction by Bishop Enrico Trevisi, who highlighted its potential to “spread a culture of solidarity” and to “shift from simply pointing out what’s wrong to doing something together.” He expressed gratitude for its launch in Trieste and for the participation of several notable businesses in the city. “Thanks to those who promoted this opportunity, enabling everyone to contribute to easing the hardship of those in need. A special thanks to the Rotary Clubs of Trieste and to everyone who will take part in this collective effort of solidarity. I like to think that God’s promise—‘I am with you’—is realized here in Trieste through the many generous individuals who embody a sense of fraternity that unites us and a shared responsibility for one another, reflecting God’s caring presence.”
The initiative, presented this morning, comes at a complex time when poverty is no longer an emergent issue but almost an endemic one. As Vera Pellegrino, Head of the Promotion and Training Area of Caritas Diocesana Trieste, pointed out, requests for assistance among local residents have increased by 30% over the past year, and 14% of the people Caritas serves are minors. Yet, this initiative has the potential to make a difference. In Cremona, as shared by Claudio Bodini, past president of Rotary Club Cremona, €32,000 were raised in just one year, enabling the distribution of 6,000 meals.