Overview

• Caritas Italia reported that its centers supported 277,775 people in 2024, marking a 3% rise from the previous year.
• The number of individuals receiving Caritas assistance has climbed 62.6% over the past decade, driven by compounded economic crises.
• Northern Italy experienced the sharpest growth in aid demand with a 77% surge, followed by a 64.7% rise in the Mezzogiorno.
• Working poor now make up 23.5% of those helped by Caritas, underlining that employment no longer guarantees escape from poverty.
• More than a quarter of beneficiaries live in chronic poverty and a significant share face housing insecurity or healthcare vulnerabilities.