During the traditional press conference that wrapped up the year in terms of solidarity and concrete aid provided, the Sant'Egidio Community's president, Marco Impagliazzo, presented what has been defined as the"Michelin guide" of the poor. is a book that lays out a list of places offering essential services to the most vulnerable in Rome.
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of another relevant initiative developed by Sant'Egidio throughout the years, the traditional"Christmas lunch.""We started in 1982, with small groups at Santa Maria in Trastevere's church," Impagliazzo recalled,"and today we gather over 250,000 people worldwide."
The context in which Sant'Egidio is called to operate is a very challenging one, with the ongoing economic crisis that caused further difficulties in the aftermath of the pandemic."At the beginning of the year, we registered an improvement," Impagliazzo reported."People had started to be hired again, but the inflation is now a pressing problem, touching especially single-income families, single mothers, those in precarious situations, and elderly people with low pensions.