Italy Earthquake Relief and Recovery Fund

UNICO National, the largest Italian American Service Organization in the United States, wishes to thank all those who have contributed to the L'Aquila Earthquake Relief Effort.

Building on its previous experiences, UNICO has harnessed the energies of its dedicated members to raise funds and take a lead position in providing relief for disaster victims in the Abruzzo region. The initial funds collected have been used for distributing food, blankets, hygiene items and clothes.

UNICO is now in the second phase of providing Earthquake relief, to residents of the province of L’Aquila, in the Abruzzo region. Among the casualties of this disaster were the shattered hopes of 27,000 students of the University of L’Aquila, who were displaced as their university lost buildings and had to close its doors.

These students need help and UNICO, building on its long tradition and strong commitment to helping young people fulfill their academic potential and pursue their dreams is dedicated to providing an answer.

Your donation is going toward assisting these students through either books, supplies and temporary buildings enabling them to continue with their studies while the university is being rebuilt.

Once again thank you so much for you contribution.

Due to your generous donations, our fund recipients – UNICO and Slow Food Italy – have been able to assess emergency situations and respond quickly and efficiently. As they move to more long-term recovery actions, they will be updating on their progress. Here are their most recent reports:

From Kathleen Strozza, UNICO:

With the Abruzzo Region in Southern Italy still suffering earthquake aftershocks, UNICO National and its 130 Chapters are reacting with a broad vision and plan to help those in this devastated area. More than 40,000 were left homeless and over 27,000 students of the University of L’Aquila have been displaced.

Building on its previous experiences, UNICO has harnessed the energies of its dedicated members to raise funds and take a lead position in providing relief for disaster victims in the Abruzzo region.

The initial funds collected have been used for distributing food, blankets, hygiene items and clothes.

UNICO is now in the second phase of Earthquake relief, to residents of the province of L’Aquila, in the Abruzzo region. Our objective is to raise all that we possibly can, to assist the victims and help them rebuild their lives and community. We thank those who have already contributed, but more needs to be done. We certainly encourage all members of the public to join us in the humanitarian effort. No donation would be considered too large or too small. Together we can provide much needed assistance, for those so badly in need.

From Shayna Bailey, Slow Food Italy:

Over one month ago a massive earthquake struck the Region of Abruzzo, Italy. Though press on the disaster has slowed to a halt, the problems of the residents of this area remain varied and daily. Of the 80,000 refugee inhabitants, 50,000 are living in tent communities, and 30,000 are living in hotels. No one is going about life as usual: commercial activity has all but stopped, local groceries and cafés are closed or destroyed, and tourism - which is fundamental to the local economy - is nonexistent, even in the areas of the region with no damages from the earthquake. Without a stimulus in the local community, the people will continue to exist as refugees with lives that hardly resemble their former realities.

Slow Food has taken immediate action and - together with local partners - has promoted new initiatives in order to give new life to the local economy, and to reinforce the identity of the community.

To date, two important initiatives have been implemented:

Community Gardens

Thanks to the commitment of Silvia De Paulis, Governor of Slow Food Italy, this proposal made some days after the earthquake has taken shape.

With the support of many organizations, we are now setting up community gardens in ten refugee camps. The community organizers and the coordinators of the Slow Food School Gardens project are working together to give assistance to the affected people involved in the gardens. With summer approaching, children have the opportunity to play while learning at the same time, harvesting the fruits of the gardens that they have grown. In addition to being an educational endeavor, the initiative directly impacts local food security for the people who have been displaced by the earthquake.

Earth Markets

Certain allocated funds from the contributions will be used to buy a new wooden building in the city of L’Aquila. This building will host all local food producers who meet the requirements of the Slow Food Earth Market, meaning that the food they produce is good, clean and fair. The goal is to create a permanent farmers' market for all the producers who have lost their historical market location to the earthquake in Piazza Duomo in L’Aquila. Now they will have a new place to sell their products and to re-establish their connections with local consumers. This strengthens the normal daily routines of the people and the economy of the community, assists the farmers in making a living, and gives locals access to greater food security.

Our heartfelt thanks to all who have contributed to help the people of Abruzzo meet their basic needs and jumpstart life after the disaster. Your assistance gives hope to residents that life will continue as it once did, and that economic stability and food security will return without loss of traditional culture or livelihoods.

Thank you so much for your generosity in contributing to GlobalGiving’s Italy Earthquake Relief Fund. Because of you and your fellow donors, more than $14,000 has been raised in a matter of weeks. We’re thrilled that so many of you acted so quickly in order to make a difference where it was needed most. In order to provide direct relief to the people of Italy, GlobalGiving has joined forces with UNICO National and Slow Food International. Slow Food was founded in 1989 by Carlo Petrini in Italy to combat fast food and works to preserve Italy’s cultural cuisine and the associated food plants, seeds, domestic animals, and farming methods. Slow Food is one of the organizations has been providing hospitality and basic necessities throughout the region to those who have been hit worst by the earthquake. An assessment is also underway with collaborating organizations to develop longer-term projects. Raffaele Cavallo, the Regional Governor of Slow Food Abruzzo, is one of our contacts on the ground in Italy. He has composed a message of gratitude to everyone who has pulled together in this time of crisis: It has been two weeks since the massive earthquake struck the Region of Abruzzo, and I would like to thank all the people who have expressed their solidarity from all over the world to those affected by this dramatic event. A heartfelt thank to all those who have joined the efforts of Slow Food Italy and of Slow Food International by giving their contribution to the campaign. To date, an evaluation is under way to assess the damages caused by the earthquake, as well as the impact it had on our heritage, both from a cultural and farming perspective. This evaluation also takes into account the damages on the agro-forestry resources that are part of the history of the people living in the province of L'Aquila. As always, you will be informed on how the funds raised will be allocated, who the beneficiaries will be, which activities and projects will be supported: this will be done with transparency being our first priority. Thank you once again for your sensitivity and empathy towards the people living in Abruzzo. Raffaele Cavallo, Regional Governor, Slow Food Abruzzo. We look forward to providing you with more updates on the situation in Italy, as well as on the specific impact your donations are having. Thanks again for your generosity.