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January 18, 2023The appeal to the people of Prato: “We need blankets, tea, sturdy paper cups, sugar, pajamas, socks, and hooded sweatshirts.”
With the arrival of winter, the Croce d’Oro of Prato has once again set in motion the “Angels of the Cold.” These are the volunteers of Via Niccoli who meet twice a week in the association in the evening, prepare hot beverages, food, blankets, clothing, essential items, and go out into the streets of Prato to provide assistance to the homeless. These are people who, due to various circumstances, have become homeless and prefer to stay on the streets rather than turn to the La Pira soup kitchen or the dormitory. They are mostly men, often foreigners, but there are also some women. The numbers, compared to last year, have slightly increased, as observed directly in the field by the volunteers of the Via Niccoli association.
The organization dispatches two vehicles from the central headquarters of the Croce d’Oro of Prato at around 10 PM, each carrying five volunteers. The route covers some areas frequented by the homeless: the central station, the Pietà church, Via Torelli, Via Valentini, Via Soffici, just to name a few. “We provide them with hot drinks, food, and, most importantly, we try to engage in dialogue,” explains Nadia Burani, coordinator of the Croce d’Oro volunteers who provide the cold emergency service. “We offer them comfort and try to understand why they ended up sleeping on the streets. And when possible, we try to direct them to local facilities. Often, residents themselves report the presence of new homeless individuals, and we immediately expand our nightly route to try to help them all.”
For the time being, the service is carried out twice a week, but as was the case last year, it may be increased for an additional evening in case of extreme cold. The Croce d’Oro of Prato collaborates with San Vincenzo de’ Paoli for this service. The latter provides bags with water, biscuits, single-serving products, and various items. To collect as many donations as possible, San Vincenzo de’ Paoli set up a solidarity market in Via Santa Trinita in recent weeks. “We appeal to the people of Prato to receive new donations,” adds Alessandro Coveri, president of the Croce d’Oro of Prato. “We need blankets, tea, sturdy paper cups, sugar, pajamas, socks, and hooded sweatshirts. On behalf of the association, I want to thank both the volunteers who are always so active in the area and the entire community that supports us. This is a fundamental service, and we believe in it as volunteers. Anyone who wants to join our association can do so simply by calling us or writing to us. The doors are open to everyone; it’s a way to get involved in volunteering, even for those who work during the day and just have the desire to help others.”
“Among the collaborations with the Croce d’Oro of Prato, it’s worth mentioning the assistance of Corertex ”
the consortium for textile reuse and recycling, which donated one hundred kilograms of blankets to the Via Niccoli association, and the partnership with La Repubblica pastry shop, which donates a tray of pastries to be distributed to the homeless twice a week. “It’s a gesture we gladly make to support those in need and to support volunteer activities,” emphasize Raffaello De Salvo, president of Corertex, and Enzo Zitelli, owner of La Repubblica pastry shop.
To get in touch with the Croce d’Oro for food or essential item donations, you can write on their Facebook page, contact the switchboard at 0574/26100, or go directly to Via Niccoli.
Credit tvprato.it
