Fa Bene project – sharing food, creating relationships

Piazza Foroni market in Torino has been taking part in a new form of giving and sharing, turning environmental and economic costs in social benefits. The idea behind the project is to redirect food surpluses, reducing waste and cleaning costs in the market, and providing fresh, quality food for needy families in the neighbourhood with market customers purchasing products for the project from participating stalls.After 1 year, the project has brought together 60 market retailers, 10 volunteers, 600 kg of unsold products, 300 kg of food offered by customers. The initiative is actively supported by a range of stakeholders from local associations to public authorities, market retailers to consumers. The beneficiaries are asked to give their time and skills back to the community in socially useful activities. One of the aims of the project is to separate the concepts of poverty from that of shame, using it as a means to give back and increase sharing opportunities. In this framework, markets become the heart of this sharing, generosity, cooperation and reflection.The families and volunteers of the project were also involved last 5th of April in a white umbrella flash mob. Market customers one Saturday morning were surprised by the opening up of white umbrellas and invitations to participate in the Spring Party organized during the weekend to spread knowledge of the neighbourhood and its inhabitants.visit the website and watch the video.