Up to today we have distributed over 1 million PPE materials to 121 entities which include: hospitals, public assistance and healthcare organizations, foundations, associations, companies, retirement homes and individuals. We have also donated 144 machineries to 19 hospitals in turin and within the Piedmont Region. These include: 58 medical instruments, 41 beds for the intensive care unit, 27 pieces of furniture for different divisions of the hospitals, 6 softwares, 2 CT scans (one permanent and a mobile one). We have also supplied the hospitals with tablets and devices to help the patients communicate with their families.
We have rented a Boeing 767 to transfer a team of 38 doctors and nurses from Cuba to help the medical staff that has been designated to the new Healthcare Structure in the OGR dedicated to Covid patients. We have also put our SpecchioBus (a Ducato mini-bus with two ambulatories inside) at disposal of the Local Health Authorities so that they can move around the territory and take tampons samples.
Our work to help obstruct the Coronavirus has started on the 9th of March and hasn’t stopped ever since. We have concentrated a great part of our strengths on the healthcare, but here’s what we are doing for those who are most in need.
GROCERY BAGS FOR THE ELDERLY: we have donated 5.400 grocery bags to seniors over 80 years of age, or over 65 with economical difficulties. Together with the logistic help of Crescere 1979 and the Terza Settimana Association we have managed to hand out 93,5 tons of goods. All deliveries have been done following the new regulations in order to keep the elderly safe.
SUPPORT TO THE FAMILIES: in order to help 1.000 families in need, we have activated a program that includes the distribution of grocery bags and gives out an economical support. The beneficiaries have been identified within the indigent families (who have been verified) who have requested for help at our front office (Specchio Point). In the bags we also include a dozen of masks for the family members. Everyday we donate 150 groceries that weigh 20 kilos each. We have already distributed 300 of these in the last two days, for a total of 6 tons of good. We will continue with the donations next week.
“A BREATH FOR TURIN” GRANT: Specchio dei tempi has designated 1.000.000 of euros to support 220 small enterprises (small commercial activities, shops and artisans). Reale Mutua is supporting our project with a contribution of 100.000 euros. The grant is still being defined and will be made public by La Stampa and our social media pages this week.
MOTHERS AND CHILDREN IN NEED: we have already delivered 100 grocery bags to the the 100 single moms that are part of the project “Mothers and children in need”. They are also assisted by a daily support phone line. We have already planned to send a second batch of groceries during the month of May.
SUPPORTING THE HOMELESS: in order to help those without a home, we have provided Sister Cristina (of Casa Santa Luisa shelter) with a cell-phone for direct assistance. Also, we helped authorize the canopy of the courtyard so that the structure is able to give out food to the poor outside without breaking the rules. Also, we have managed to hand out 500 maks.
SPECCHIO & TECH: we have also activated an online page for the elderly. This landing is continuously updated and explains them, in the most simple way possible, how to use technology equipments in order to help them through this emergency. The link has been shared to all of those senior that our part of our “Computer technology has no age” project organized by Circolo Informatico.
DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD TO THE CAFETERIAS: Many companies have asked for our help to distribute food to the cafeterias that welcome those in need. A special thanks goes to Battaglio, Grissifinicio linea Derby, Peyrano, il Buon Riso and Eataly.
PET FOOD DISTRIBUTION: thanks to a generous donation by Morando Pet Food we can deliver pet food to those family who live in desperate situations.
IT’S BEEN A BUSY COUPLE OF MONTHS BUT WE WON’T STOP NOW.
We’ve donated hundreds thousands of masks and other personal protection equipment to the hospitals and other sanitary structures, including retirement homes. We have reached 19 hospitals in total to whom we’ve donated a total of 144 machineries and furnitures for their reanimation centers. In the meantime our subscription has reached almost 9 million euros through 13 thousand donations. You can all be part of our team and support Specchio dei tempi by using your credit card on www.specchiodeitempi.org/donate, or through a bank transfer directly on our bank account: Specchio dei tempi, via Lugaro 15, 10126 Torino, IBAN: IT67 L0306909 6061 0000 0117 200, Banca Intesasanpaolo. You can also find us on Global Giving.
Specchio dei tempi strongly believes in the importance of education, this is why since the beginning of its days it is active in this sector. Throughout the years Specchio has rebuilt up to 26 schools around the world and it is used to support the education systems during difficult times with concrete and immediate help. So lets get down to the facts. This is what we are doing in this time of emergency.
SANITIZING KITS: Since the beginning of March we have distributed 165 free sanitizing kits (for a value of 500€ each) to 165 schools of Turin and in the piedmont Region.
DIGITAL SCHOOLS: Specchio dei tempi has bought 759 tablets, with their own sim card, that will be designated to children and families that live in situations of poverty and have difficulties with the e-learning programs. Up to 250 have already been distributed while the rest will be given out in the next 10 days. With this project we aim to cover up to 15 schools.
LONG DISTANCE TEACHING: through the use of a e-learning platforms we are offering a program (together with the Agnelli Foundation and Reale Mutua) that will allow the children to follow their classes online and have one-to-one lessons with their tutors.
SAVING THE KIDS: the funds for the historical project financed by Specchio dei tempi, and put into action together with the Association Lorenzo Grco Onlus, have been reallocated. We’ve created an online platform where all the major rescue practices are illustrated. These course are held by a pediatrician and also focus on how the children live their lives now that they are forced to spend their days at home.
BILLBOARDS AND ANTI-COVID EQUIPMENT: Starting the first week of May Specchio dei tempi will be delivering to 150 schools all the sanitary materials (such as sanitizing dispensers) requested by the regulation. Billboards with the new regulations will also be supplied.
OTHER ONGOING PROJECTS All the other projects proceed regularly. We’ve donated hundreds thousands of masks and other personal protection equipment to the hospitals and other sanitary structures, including retirement homes.. We have reached 19 hospitals in total to whom we’ve donated a total of 144 machineries and furnitures for their reanimation centers.
In the meantime our subscription has reached almost 9 million euros through 13 thousand donations. You can all be part of our team and support Specchio dei tempi by using your credit card on www.specchiodeitempi.org/donate, or through a bank transfer directly on our bank account: Specchio dei tempi, via Lugaro 15, 10126 Torino, IBAN: IT67 L0306909 6061 0000 0117 200, Banca Intesasanpaolo. You can also find us on Global Giving.
The second CT scan donated by Specchio dei tempi is now up and running. A Canon-Toshiba Aquilon has been set in no-time at the Martini Hospital. This machine, of the value of 305.000 euros, was bought in Holland and donated by La Stampa’s readers to the local health authority of the city of Turin. “This machine is vital, as it will allow us to examine Covid patients that arrive in the ER where we had a very old model. This new equipment is a like a miracle” says Elisabetta Sardi, health director of the hospital. The sanitary technicians of the Radiology unit and all of the nurses wanted to thank the Foundation: “You have supplied us with a forefront machine that is technologically advanced and will help us in this battle that has brought us to fight in first line”.
Another CT scan has already been donated twenty days ago and it is functioning at the Amedeo di Savoia Hospital. This machine, that has been rented for three months, has been set on a truck and will remain in use of the Martini Hospital after the emergency. Also, the Martini has received 26 electrically powered bed that have arrived from Poland.
MORE OF SPECCHIO’S PROJECT TO FIGHT THE VIRUS In this last month, where our team has worked non-stop, Specchio has managed to delivered over 850 thousand PPE materials such as: masks, coats, shoe-covers, gloves, goggles, visors and caps. These equipments have been given out to 90 different structures that include: hospitals, organizations of public assistance, retirement homes, charities, family doctors and volunteer firefighters. Specchio has also donated 146 machineries and furniture to the reanimation units and ERs of 16 hospitals in the Piedmont Region. You can all help to support these initiatives by donating by using your credit card on www.specchiodeitempi.org/donate, or through a bank transfer directly on our bank account: Specchio dei tempi, via Lugaro 15, 10126 Torino, IBAN: IT67 L0306909 6061 0000 0117 200, Banca Intesasanpaolo. You can also find us on Global Giving.
Thanks to the prosperous winter seasons, the mountain views, the skiing facilities, and the support of a ski-instructor of Bardonecchia who, for years, has been working in the tourist business with Beijing. He has embraced our most innovative initiative: seeking for help in China. We’ve started by translating our projects in Chinese characters, and yesterday 60 thousand masks, donated by a Chinese enterprise, have arrived at Malpensa. These will be distributed in the next days.
“When we first visited the Turinese Alps, we have been warmly welcomed by the Italian population: we felt them very close”. This is how Liu Guogang, manager of the operation and and who lead the group of influencers sent here in December by Torino Turismo, remembers his experience here in Italy. “Once we arrived back we wanted to strengthen our relationship with the office of Tourism, but unfortunately the Covid-19 didn’t make this possible. When we saw that the emergency in Italy had outgrown, we took immediate action to help you fight this battle”.
Luca Ballet, 31 year old from Bardonecchia, who has act as intermediary between us, is the founder of China Italy Experience, a business that attracts many investors like Mr. Guogang. Liu, is the president of a television network dedicated to snow sports and golf that attracts millions of viewers online. Through the use of his media, he has managed to convince several entrepreneurs to help finance the equipment for Specchio dei tempi. To be precise: we received 60 thousand masks that have been produced by the Fu Lijia company and sent directly to us in Italy. Specchio dei tempi was, on the other side, in charge of the transfer and has dealt with all the international bureaucracy, managing to have the products arrive in no time.
As an act of friendship and support, our Chinese friends had organized a small ceremony to celebrate the departure of the masks. This has all been documented by Guogang’s network. The banners stated, in Chinese characters, a message of solidarity that has been brought forward from many Eastern Countries: “We are waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, flowers of the same garden”.
Other donors such as Mr Linzhijie, who has sent us 4000 masks that have already been donate to the Rivoli hospital (near Turin). The 60 thousand masks from Beijingwill not be delivered to the healthcare units, but to the families in need and to the association Nuova generazione italo-cinese and to other charity associations.
The healthcare structures that have already beneficiated of over 900 thousand PPE equipments are over a hundred, between hospitals and other entities. Dozens of machineries, bought and donated by Specchio dei tempi, have been installed in this last month.
It is incredible what has been possible with the help of 13 thousand donations, of which 30 are from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Donating is still possible. You can contribute by using your credit card here, or through a bank transfer directly on our bank account: Specchio dei tempi, via Lugaro 15, 10126 Torino, IBAN: IT67 L0306909 6061 0000 0117 200, Banca Intesasanpaolo. You can also find us onGlobal Giving.
The Juventus player Barbara Bonansea deliveries 4 thousand chirurgical masks to the Hospital of Rivoli for Specchio dei tempi
WE ARE DEFINITELY STRONGER TOGETHER: A BOEING 767 FROM CUBA HAS LANDED WITH A TEAM OF 38 DOCTORS AND NURSES IN TURIN TODAY.
By Angelo Conti & Francesca Giannotti
This morning at 9 am, a team of 21 doctors and 17 nurses have landed at the Caselle airport of Turin in order to help the Piedmont Region fight Covid-19 until the sanitary crisis requires them to. The “brigade”, who has been immediately tested, is made of highly competent operators that are specialized in dealing with emergencies, and will be operating in the new temporary sanitary structure of Turin designated for Covid-19 patients. This is an incredible act of solidarity and international collaboration.
The major of Turin, Chiara Appendino, the President of the Region Alberto Cirio, the Prefect Claudio Palomba and the Cuban Ambassador Josè Carlo Rodriguez Ruiz welcomed the team this morning when the plane first landed. Everything has been possible thanks to the team of Specchio dei tempi, who has organized the trip, and the support of Lavazza.
The Ambassador, Josè Carlo Rodriguez Ruiz explains: “Solidarity is ingrained in our culture. Our sanitary brigade has arrived in humbleness, in order to support the Italian doctors during this emergency. We have sent brigades in 21 countries across the world because we believe that we need to face this challenge together in order to win it. This is all that Cuba has to offer. Now, we need to get to work. Our doctors will be offering their experience and knowhow in support of the Italian healthcare”.
“We are extremely grateful to Cuba and the doctors and nurses that have volunteered to help during this harsh time”, states the Alberto Cirio, President of the Region. “I also wish to thank the Farnesina, the Minister of Healthcare, the National Civil Protection who have supported this initiative, and mainly Ambassador Ruiz who has helped when in contact with the Cuban government while exposing our request. – he continues – A special thanks also goes to Specchio dei tempi and Lavazza who have promptly organized everything to make this happen”.
As a sign of gratitude, Ambassador Ruiz stopped by at La Stampa to gift Specchio dei tempi with a Cuban flag. Marco Zatterin, deputy editor-in-chief of La Stampa and Lucia Gallo, representative of Specchio dei tempi, have welcomed him and presented him with two boxes of Peyrano Chocolates from Turin. Once again this couldn’t have been possible without the support of the people, companies and entities who strongly believe in our work.
Day 26 from the launch of the subscription from Specchio dei tempi: the numbers are incredible 8.199.820 euros from 11.570 donors. But the greatest numbers that count are the ones of the interventions that took place in these last weeks: 512.000 DPI materials were delivered to over 50 hospitals, different public sanitary structures, associations, retirement homes and volunteer firehouses. Specchio dei tempi has also donated equipments, machineries and furnitures to the reanimations and ER units of 16 hospitals in Turin, and the piedmont Region, for a total of 146 materials. On top, the Local Nation Healthcare units have been disposed of our Specchiobus: a Ducato Maxi van equipped of two clinics that can be used in case of emergency and will serve to take new tampons.
Yesterday we didn’t stop either. We’ve reached new realities in and outside Turin: Piossasco Red Cross, Pinerolo Green Cross, the Santa Rita of Turin, Bianchi di Cumiana and Luserna San Giovanni retirement homes, the rehabilitation community in Pinerolo and Val Pellice. The White Cross of Rivalta, the White Cross of Volpianese, the Sant’Anna Hospital and the Red Cross and Firemen’s House of Carignano. Today we have planned new deliveries and new work and new installations in agenda for these upcoming days. One big new delivery will be the new CT scan for the Martini Hospital, scheduled for next week.
Our distribution of free grocery bags with good for the elderly over 80 will continue as always in these next weeks.
Andrew Bannon is 41 anni, lives in Monaco, is a lecturer and loves running. He travels the world for his motivational lessons and his races: last Sunday he was supposed to participate to the Rome marathon. When it was canceled for Coronavirus, he thought, “Rome is where your heart is.” So he measured the lawn of his cottage, traced a path of exactly 42 meters and ran 1000 laps of his garden to help Specchio dei tempi. There were neighbors on the balconies all cheering for him and the Italian hospitals.
Bannon raised over €2000 from more than 60 friends by telling his story on “Go Fund Me”.
Eight millions of euros. This morning the subscriptions launched by Specchio dei tempi in favor of the fight against the coronavirus has reached this huge milestone: 8.134.379 from 11.170 donors to be more accurate. Yesterday we have delivered new monitors to the Reanimation 1 Unit directed by the professor Brazzi at the Molinette Hospital. These are all equipped with updated softwares for their use. In the afternoon new DPI materials have been delivered not only the hospitals but also to the Crosses, the associations and family doctors.
Today Specchio dei tempi, together with the Association Lorenzo Greco, will put to the Local Sanitary Firm’s disposal two mobile clinics that will be used for taking tampon samples on the territory.
22 days non-stop: dozens of machineries, coats, masks and gloves donated to the Hospitals in piedmont
By Angelo Conte & Francesca Giannotti
Ten thousands donations. Ten thousands people have decided to trust and support Specchio dei tempi in the fight against Coronavirus in favor of the hospitals, doctors, nurses and volunteers. The fundraising has exceeded 7.750.000 euros. A second record for the Foundation (the first one remains the subscription for the Flood in 1994 that had reached 25 billions of Italian liras). The donors come from all over the world, 550 donations from 60 different countries to be precise: 29.122 contributions arrive from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada are right behind them. We have also received support from other parts of the world such as Guatemala, Singapore, Hong Kong, Lituania, Macao, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, and Taiwan. The most generous contribution arrived from Lavazza (with a donation of 3 million euros), followed by the Agnelli family. Our social media pages helped spreading the word between the younger generations that donated through Satispay (38.652 euros wit 1236 donations).
These numbers pushed the team, and a supporting group of volunteers, through this 22-day- marathon where everyone is working day and night to supply the hospitals with the machineries and equipments needed. They keep track and respond to all the requests for hundred of thousands personal protection materials. In the last 24 hours we have reached twenty structures that include Turin’s hospitals, the ASL, retirement homes, charitable associations and the Piedmont Region Crisis Unit. Yesterday we’ve donated 19.300 FFP2 masks, 2.300 surgical masks, 28.000 gloves, 3.000 coats, 300 visors, 660 goggles, 230 gel bottle, 250 sleeve covers, dozens of oximeters, thermometers and stethoscopes. This adds up to a total of almost 400.000 pieces of DPI materials delivered since the beginning of the subscription, 22 day ago.
On top of all the DPI materials, great part of the hospitals in the Piedmont region have been donated dozens of vanguard machineries to help cure the patients with Covid-19. These include two CT scans (one for the Amedeo di Savoia and a second one for the Martini Hospital), twenty pulmonary ultrasound machines, critical care ultrasounds, parametric monitors, beds and furnitures for the new reanimation units. This has all been possible even with the difficult market situation. In fact many orders had been placed abroad and arrived from China, Poland, Ukraine and Holland.
The foundation could not forget about the social sphere. Grocery bags have been delivered to almost 4.500 elderly citizens. We are also supporting the single moms in difficulty, delivering pet food, helping 160 schools with sanitizing kits and supporting an e-learning program (together with the Agnelli Foundation and Reale Mutua). In the next few days we will be donating hundreds of tablets to the needy students. We are also studying support programs for families and small businesses.
The President of the Foundation, Lodovico Passerin d’Entreves has stated: “Companies, associations and individuals find themselves together, with Specchio dei tempi, in fighting this battle. It’s overwhelming to see that also the young generations are on board. Until the end of this crisis, our commitment remains unconditional”. Last night the donations reached 7.759.096 euros with the help of 10.273 donors.
For Andrew, this was the easiest marathon he has ever ran. “It was only me, with my thoughts and my music”. It’s a 42 meter route to repeat until infinity. “The atmosphere that we managed to create was amazing”, says Andrew as he describes this experience. Everybody from the neighborhood stood on their balconies to cheer for him and the Italian hospitals. Andrew Bannon, 41 years old, lives in Monaco and yesterday he ran 1000 laps of his garden to help La Fondazione La Stampa – Specchio dei tempi. He started to talk about his initiative on “Go Fund Me“, and now that he has actually achieved his goal the number of donations has escalated. He has reached 1800€ with the help of 57 friends.
“It’s been tough, I kept thinking about your medical and sanitary staff and about having the opportunity to raise money to support them and that helped” explains Bannon. Andrew is an Irish conference man in Germany. He is married and has a young daughter. He has travelled the world for his motivational speeches, he discovered running in Germany in 2003. After four months of training he was to run the Rome Marathon yesterday, which unfortunately didn’t take place due to the Coronavirus. This is where he realized: “Rome is where your heart is”, and started to measure the lane of his garden and started the calculations, drawing a route with the green, white and red cones, the red ones delineated the finish line. He did a parade lap and documented everything with pictures and a video.
Yesterday he wore his race shirt and took out his stop watch. Total time was of 4h35′, a great result given that his record has been 3h37′. All of the curves that made him go back and forth costed him an hour. “I admit it was not boring, I was concentrated on the numbers. I had to reach 100 rounds, then 250, then 500”. Small milestones for a greater result. “My mom was a nurse, she used to work night shifts, sleep three hours and then take care of the house. I have a huge respect for doctors and nurses. I would like to help the Italian population during this hard time”. The money raised will be turned into masks, gloves, and coats: Specchio dei tempi is delivering thousands of DPI materials to the medical structures and has bought dozens of machineries to help the Intensive Care and Reanimation units in Turin and Piedmont.
The subscription launched by the foundation has raised up to 7.6 million of euros thanks to the contribution of over 9 thousand donors. On specchiodeitempi.org/covid19it is possible to keep sustaining the project and follow all of the news and updates. Specchio dei tempi is also receiving lots of support from abroad with over hundreds of donations from almost 60 different countries: starting from Germany with Andrew, to Spain, passing through Estonia, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Austria, Norvegia and Denmark. This is why Andrew strongly believes that his 1000 laps have a meaning: “Europe is alive, we worry about our brothers and sisters”.
The last two weeks have been extremely challenging but thanks to your help we’ve been able to reach great milestones: almost 7.5 million of euros through the help of 9000 donors form Italy and abroad. Our country is more united than ever, but the support and love that we receive everyday from our friends from over 50 countries is overwhelming.
Thanks to your contributions we managed to deliver thousand of DPI materials such as gloves, goggles, masks, shoe covers, coats and sanitizing gels to great part of the hospitals in Turin and Piedmont Region. Equipments such as thermometers, oximers, stethoscopes and sphygmomanometers have also been ordered and will be donated soon. We’ve also delivered materials to the children’s hospital, the Regina Margherita. In the past Specchio has restructured 4 units of this medical structure. During this harsh time, we feel it is essential that our kids are kept safe.
This week we have also delivered a moving CT scan that has arrived from Poland to the Amedeo di Savoia hospital. This machine has been rented for a period of three months and will certainly help the doctors to cure the patients affected by Covid-19. Professor Giovanni Di Perri, head of the Amedeo di Savoia, states: “We are deeply moved by the generosity and promptness of the Foundation. This machine will be a great ally in helping us cure the patients”.
Other hospitals that have received machineries and equipment in these last few days are: the Mauriziano, Molinette, Giovanni Bosco, Cottolengo, Martini, together with the Green Cross and the Regional Crisis Unit. Our mission continues as we have new orders placed for DPI materials and we are still waiting for new machineries to come in. Every intervention is done also in collaboration with the institutions, as we are continuously in touch in order to coordinate our help based on the numerous requests that we keep on receiving.
As you know the most vulnerable sector of the population is always on Specchio’s mind. We started by helping 150 elderly by delivering grocery bags filled with primary necessity goods. This makes sure that these people, that are more at risk to be infected by the virus, are kept safe in their homes. Now we have reached over 4000 seniors, covering the over 80 age range. This means that we can deliver up to 200 bags a day. An enormous goal that has been reached thanks to your help. Hoping that our children will be able to be back in school we are still supplying sanitizing kits to the ones in need. Up to today we have sanitized 150 schools.
