It’s Saturday morning in Moncalieri, Italy, and the Church of the Nazarene’s building is bustling with energy in this town situated at the foothills of the picturesque Italian Alps.

The aroma of coffee brewing brings smiles to many faces as Pastor Matteo Ricciardi visits with neighbors and the church’s food distribution program participants out front, in the place that has become a gathering space for the neighborhood in recent years.

Just off to the side, the church’s recently purchased van has arrived, full of fresh food donated from nearby supermarkets. Volunteers have formed an assembly line to unload and sort the food for each family that will arrive today to collect it.

And so it goes every Saturday with this group, half of them church members and the other half community service workers, serving as part of the church’s agreement with the local court system to provide community service opportunities for those needing to complete their required hours.

Domenico is one of the workers who learned about the program through the court system and was drawn to the opportunity after speaking with Pastor Matteo. Though he grew up in Moncalieri, Domenico had never heard of the Nazarene church, but he quickly became interested in helping support families in his hometown, even using some of his connections in the community to secure more weekly food donations that he picks up throughout the week.

When asked about his favorite part of serving in the program, he said, “I like the feeling at the end of the day. I am a golf player, and normally, on Saturday mornings, I like to play golf, but during this time, when I come here and then I go home around lunchtime, I have a feeling that I didn’t waste time. The feeling remains with you at the end of the day, and I feel it is the best thing.”

The Saturday morning routine highlights the real value of this program: creating community. In an effort to bridge the gap for those who cannot afford enough food on a regular basis, a network of people from the church, the neighborhood, local supermarkets, the national food bank, and the court system has emerged.

Like many places around the globe, Moncalieri has a mix of long-term residents and immigrant families. Growing national poverty and unemployment rates have created a greater need for food assistance, particularly among the most vulnerable groups. Then, in April 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns exacerbated the situation, with many families experiencing financial hardship due to job closures and restrictions. This is when the church decided they could do something to serve their neighbors.

What began as a small, self-funded initiative has developed into a structured support program, thanks to partnerships with local stores and Italy’s national food bank network operated through the Italy District Church of the Nazarene’s non-governmental organization (NGO), Associazione Missione Nazarena Italiana (AMNI). As public social services face increasing strain, the initiative now provides essential aid to families and individuals in need, and the congregation has become a vital resource for those in vulnerable situations.

“Our congregation recognized this need and stepped in to provide support… that is particularly useful because it serves as support for immigrant families who may face additional barriers in accessing social services, and it promotes community solidarity by bringing people together and responding to immediate needs,” explained Pastor Matteo.

“While the primary issue addressed is the limited access to basic food items among vulnerable families in the community near our congregation…the program has become a stable resource, addressing both basic food needs and social isolation in an effort to build relationships within the community,” he continues.

Through the program, 98 people from 44 families receive food each week. Additionally, the church collects and distributes clothing items and organizes community meals. Relationships are developing as weekly life updates are shared and requests are prayed over. And this community has learned to celebrate and grieve together like all good communities do. Over the years, there have been cancer diagnoses and answers to prayer for healing. But there have also been hard times. Domenico explained that there are difficult seasons to serve in, mostly during the holidays, when the church hosts meals and invites everyone who participates in the program in any way to come together for a potluck. “Christmas time is the most difficult because the emotions of the people are increased,” he said. “I know that in that moment I cannot do anything for them, just try to give them food, and I try to give them a few words just to put them in a good mood in the moment.”

As relationships continue to grow and develop, so do the operations. In partnership with Nazarene Missions Teams and a team from the Chicago area, the church recently remodeled its sanctuary space to create more room for their food distribution warehouse. Additionally, in partnership with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, stainless steel shelves and a high-capacity refrigerator were purchased.

The congregation was also able to purchase a van that helps with ease and efficiency for picking up food and unloading it into the warehouse, instead of volunteers using their personal vehicles to go around collecting food each week. “With the customization with lettering (on the van), the service is gaining a higher visibility…testifying to the church’s presence in the neighborhood,” explained Pastor Mateo.

Another volunteer has seen the opportunity to share his faith with the community. “The good witness we give makes some people ask us why we engage in this service,” he said. “They are intrigued by our community, and also through other gatherings, we really manage to give witness to the neighborhood.”

As God continues to grow and bless this ministry, the church hopes to expand its reach. Thanks to the van—the capacity to collect and distribute food has increased, and the church hopes to be able to serve more people each week, reducing the number of families currently on the waiting list. The program also hopes to strengthen its partnerships, collaborating with other supermarkets and organizations to ensure more consistent and diverse food supplies.

In the end though, the goal remains to be a faithful presence in the neighborhood and to have a holistic impact on the lives of those around them. Pastor Matteo says, “In addition to food distribution, the program aims to raise awareness of the church’s mission and foster deeper connections with neighbors, and to provide spiritual and emotional support through community.”

-article by Kristin Burchfiel, Western Mediterranean Field, shared from NCM Magazine