Saint Rita’s example continues to inspire concrete gestures of solidarity and closeness. Her simple and direct message speaks to everyone: believers and lay people of all ages and conditions. It is a message that comes from listening to the pain of others, from paying attention to the most fragile, from taking care of people’s essential needs. This is the spirit that guides our Foundation every day. In 2024, this commitment found new strength: we went from supporting 9 to 19 projects, in Italy and around the world. We doubled the resources, distributing over 2 million euros, with special attention to intellectual disability, poverty, degradation and the most invisible forms of suffering.
But our work does not stop at funding. We guide, we train, we strengthen. We help our beneficiaries to become autonomous, to plan, to build and to generate lasting change. And we do it together with a growing network made up of trust, dialogue and participation. In this network, every voice counts: that of the volunteers, the donors, the local representatives and the supplier-partners.
A shared mission for a sustainable future
Our work is part of the global path outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. We fight poverty, we promote equality, we foster social inclusion. We work for a world in which every person, even the most fragile, can see their dignity recognised and have access to the same opportunities.
Every donor is more than just a supporter to us. They are an integral part of the Ritian family. With their generous gesture, they become the co-protagonist of a journey made up of hope, solidarity and care. This is why we listen, we dialogue and we build relationships that last over time, nurturing a genuine sense of belonging.
Volunteers: the silent force that moves everything
Once again in 2024, our volunteers showed extraordinary passion and dedication. Last June, over 140 volunteers from all over Italy met in Cascia to experience two days filled with sharing and training. The name of the meeting – Volontari nell’amore di Santa Rita (Volunteers in the love of Saint Rita) – perfectly reflected the spirit that unites us: a living community, made up of hands that reach out and hearts that open up.
We also actively involve our suppliers and consider them part of the solidarity network we are building. Together with them, we promote collaboration, shared responsibility and relationships based on trust and co-responsibility. Because only by joining forces can we truly face the challenges of vulnerability and social hardship.