Fondazione Internazionale Don Luigi Di Liegro This Foundation focuses on community outreach to mental health patients.  The state sends these individuals to the Fondazione Di Liegro to help them socialize and create relationships and a sense of belonging to a group. Each day a different therapy is offered:  music, theater art, sewing, photography, cooking.  They sing, they paint, they play percussion instruments, they make clothes, they put on plays, they create meals and they take photographs.  The staff and volunteers give workshops on mental health in schools and they offer a Peer Education program in the middle schools. This program affects up to 500 individuals with 2000 volunteers.  There is also a Coffee Club for people with Alzheimers on Wednesday afternoons. Via Ostiense 106, 00154 Roma. Tel. 06.6792669, 06.93572111. www.fondazionediliegro.com

The Joel Nafuma Refugee Center (JNRC) Located at St. Paul’s Within the Walls Episcopal Church, the JNRC is a day center for refugees and asylum seekers living in Rome. Each day they welcome 200-250 people, half of whom are homeless, providing a refuge where they can recharge, offering many services such as breakfast, hygiene product & clothing distribution, computer skills, language literacy classes, and employment clinic & job skills training.  They have recently invited women to participate.  As another center no longer has day care nurseries, these women have no place to leave their babies when searching for work.  The Center is interested in offering such a service.  Our future donation can help make this project a reality. The JNRC offers many wonderful programs and assistance. Via Napoli 58, 00184 Roma. 06.4883339. www.jnrc.it

Associazione Orma is a non profit organization, founded in the Roman area  and created to offer support in the healthcare sector and in its various forms: training, prevention, services. With our contribution they will take care of the elderly with a program set up for the residents of the Centro Anziani in Prima Porta and other locations with medical screening for cardiological, dental and orthopedic needs. This is especially for those who do not have enough resources to monitor their health needs.  And here is a report on how the funds were used this past year:  Municipio VII promoted the cardiology screening initiative that Orma carried out on Thursday, 22 May at the “Centroni” senior center. This screening offers prevention and social support, through the Radiodiagnostica Cinecittà, and shows attention to the needs and care of the elderly.  It was a great success: 44 people were able to have a free cardiology visit with electrocardiograms. It was an important day for prevention, since undergoing periodic checks makes it possible to diagnose cardiovascular diseases early. The Orma association is among those sensitive to the issue of prevention and has planned other screenings for the elderly in the Roman suburbs.  St. Patrick’s Church and the St. Nicholas Serata for Charity were publically thanked for our contributions which made this program possible and will do so again in the coming year.

The Fourth Project will be for a specific need for the ministries of St. Patrick’s Church as well as possible specific restoration projects.  Details will be announced in the fall.  Last year the funds were used  for the renovations that were done to our restrooms and parish office in our vestibule. This included our new access platform for wheelchairs at the entrance to the Church as well as the upkeep of Tara Hall (with re-painting and prevention of damage due to humidity. )