Bread for the Poor Charity

The Association promotes and administrates the Bread for the Poor Charity, founded in 1887, which concerns with daily distribution of bread from its premises, as well as help in any other form that is necessary in particular situations. Every day five quintals of fresh fragrant bread are distributed to the poor of the city, to the immigrants of all races, nationalities and religions. This bread is not only distributed at the premises in vicolo Saccardo 2, but it is also given to many charity institutes in the city: Religious institutes, The Cheap Soup Kitchens, the “Mater Boni Consilii” Home, that helps girls in difficulties, the “Boys’ Home” which have many activities in favour of the young.

More than 3,000 people visit vicolo Saccardo every month to come and benefit from the Bread for the Poor Charity, numbers that are only incredible if one does not believe in Providence. And this number is very likely going to increase greatly in the future, because of the arrival of non-European community immigrants from the north African regions, but also because of the growing poverty in our country, that witnesses so many families, who at one time in the past managed to support themselves, but now, because of the growing cost of living are no longer able to do so.

The Franciscan Tertiary Elisabettian nuns, to whom the Bishop of Padua Mgr Girolamo Bortignon, sixty our years ago, entrusted the running of the distribution of bread, are present there every day with their work, their advice and their prayers. The success of our Association’s principal charity is also due thanks to the holiness of these consecrated souls.