04-11-2026 | di COOPI

Milan. A new support and referral centre in Quarto Oggiaro

Saturday 14 November sees the opening of the centre at Via S. Satta 3 in collaboration with Municipal District 8. From Father Barbieri’s early food distributions to the Combating Poverty Programme, the organisation’s commitment to the neighbourhood has never wavered: today, this commitment also takes the form of a physical place dedicated to families – both long-established households and those facing new vulnerabilities – with a focus on integrated services and volunteering.

On Saturday 14 November, from 11.00 am to 12.30 pm, COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale will officially open its new food and social support centre in Quarto Oggiaro, at Via S. Satta, 3 (also accessible via Via Privata Antonio Gazzoletti, 9). The event will be attended by the President of Municipal District 8, Giulia Pelucchi; the Councillor for Social Policies of Municipal District 8, Serenella Calderara; the President of the Villa Aperta Association, Giorgio Ferrante; the Head of COOPI’s Italian Projects Area, Federico Pirola; and the President of COOPI, Antonella Tagliabue.

The opening of the centre marks the consolidation of a partnership that began in 1999, when Father Vincenzo Barbieri – founder and then President of COOPI – personally collected and distributed essential goods to people in need in Quarto Oggiaro, together with a group of volunteers, delivering food door-to-door or arranging meetings on the street. Following the founder’s death in 2010, the initiative continued uninterrupted: the work on the ground became part of COOPI’s ‘Combating Poverty in Milan’ programme, becoming increasingly structured and expanding in scope.

Explains the President, Antonella Tagliabue:

For COOPI, Quarto Oggiaro has profound historical significance, When Father Barbieri began delivering groceries to people’s homes in 1999, he charted a course of community engagement that the organisation has kept alive over the years, weaving it into our programme to combat poverty. Opening a physical place today means giving this journey even more stable foundations, making ourselves available to the neighbourhood, strengthening collaboration with other organisations and associations in the area, and stepping up the support we offer.

Today, COOPI in Quarto Oggiaro provides support to over 60 families, a group that brings together long-standing families – who have been supported and accompanied continuously over time – with those who have settled in the neighbourhood more recently. Having a physical space allows us to overcome the limitations of street-based outreach, offering scheduled distribution of food and baby products, support and referral to local and employment services, and the opportunity to bring people together, thereby contributing to the development of volunteering, following a model already established by COOPI in other neighbourhoods of Milan (San Siro and Baggio).

Explains Federico Pirola, Head of COOPI’s Italy Projects Area:

In Quarto Oggiaro, there are families we have been supporting on an ongoing basis for some time, and families who have turned to our service more recently due to the worsening economic situation,” “Having a dedicated place allows us to work closely with Social Services and the QuBì Network, offering support that goes beyond simply providing a food parcel. Furthermore, we are firmly committed to direct participation: many of the people who receive the food parcels choose to get involved as volunteers, becoming a vital resource for the neighbourhood.

EVENT PROGRAM

Date: Saturday, November 14, 2026
Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Spazio COOPI – Via S. Satta, 3 / Via Privata A. Gazzoletti, 9 – Milan
11:00 – 11:15 am | Welcome Coffee
11:15 am – 12:15 pm | Networking for the Community – Opening remarks and speeches by:

Antonella Tagliabue (President of COOPI)
Giulia Pelucchi (President of Municipio 8)
Serenella Calderara (Councilor for Social Policies, Municipio 8)
Giorgio Ferrante (President of Associazione Villa Aperta)
Federico Pirola (Head of Italy Projects Area, COOPI)

12:15 – 12:30 pm | Wrap-up and Closing Remarks

-----

About COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale

COOPI is a humanitarian organization founded in Milan in 1965. Its mission is to help combat poverty and support community development through long-term initiatives rooted in expertise, participation, and collaboration. Since 1999, it has been actively addressing the growing reality of economic and social vulnerability across Milan and its metropolitan area. Today, through its "Combating Poverty in Italy" program, COOPI reaches more than 2,000 individuals each month. Its methodology pairs immediate food aid with attentive listening to individual and family needs, guidance toward local welfare services, and the promotion of active volunteering, restoring dignity and fostering genuine social inclusion.