NewsPosted April 23, 2021 Perugia, Italy: Adventists Assist Those in Dire Need

By: Inter-European Division, and Adventist Review, courtesy Adventist Review

In 2019, some Seventh-day Adventist church members and their acquaintances from other faiths in Italy decided to launch a humanitarian agency called Felicittà (literally, “Happy City”). Their goal was to implement social projects in the city of Perugia, Umbria. The group behind the initiative found a place with reduced rent, friends who donated their time and expertise to help, and some donors who believed in the project in that central region of the country.

The Felicittà project offers residents an open place with space for sharing and co-working. Felicittà offices soon became headquarters of several associations: some dealing with disabilities, others with music, others with health and various services. It also included Adventist organizations such as the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Umbria, Vita e Salute, and Reach Italia, which gave them local visibility. ADRA activities in the area, which have outgrown the local Adventist church, were transferred to the new offices.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ADRA office has grown significantly and has become well established in the area. Many people who know ADRA offer their help.