Italian non-profit Caritas recently presented its annual report on poverty in Tuscany, showing that 28,000 people had turned to the charity’s centres in 2023. With a slight increase of 0.2% (61 more people) compared to the previous year, the number of people turning to Caritas had grown by 20% between 2019 and 2022. Out of the individuals seeking help, almost 30% had reached out to the charity for the first time, while the percentage of people who have been using Caritas for at least six years stands at almost 40%.
Women make up more than half the cases, up slightly compared to 2023. About 4% are under 25, while just over 60% are aged between 25 and 54, having families and children who also require support. Two-thirds (65.2%) are foreigners and about 41% have a low level of education. The issues of poverty do not affect the unemployed alone: 16% of people with jobs use the charitable organization since their income is insufficient for the needs of the household. 47% live with their spouse, partner or other relatives and 39.5% have children.
Only 3.9% of the people who contact Caritas are homeless or without shelter, although the percentage who find extremely unsafe and precarious accommodation counts for 2.7%. 9.8% of Caritas users are in temporary housing, such as reception centres, religious institutions, residential health facilities, penal institutions, hotels, and 1.8% are staying with relatives, friends or acquaintances.
The problems encountered by volunteers over recent years are mainly economic. The responses put in place by Caritas in Tuscany are centred on food aid and basic necessities, but also offer a range of measures to help people find a way out of poverty in a lasting way.
The 2024 poverty report also focuses on the issue of unaccompanied foreign minors, which reached record levels of 23,226 in Italy in 2023. In Tuscany, more than 50% are housed in Florence. A 2023 study into unaccompanied minors from Tunisia in Florence showed that 56% of the sample had a high level of vulnerability and deviance.
On a positive note, Tuscany has a lower risk of poverty and social exclusion than in the rest of Italy.
