Archdiocese of Firenze renames soup kitchen after Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli

The Archdiocese of Firenze has renamed the Via Baracca soup kitchen in honor of Cardinal Silvano Piovanelli. The facility, which serves the poor in Florence, is managed by the Fondazione Solidarietà Caritas.

Cardinal Piovanelli served as the Archbishop of Florence from 1983 to 2001. He requested 35 years ago that Caritas manage the soup kitchen service. Archbishop Gherardo Gambelli attended the dedication ceremony, noting that the Cardinal's leadership helped the Caritas expand its activities to meet the needs of the vulnerable.

The soup kitchen has operated daily for 35 years, providing meals to thousands of people including the elderly, the sick, and immigrants. The facility is scheduled for redevelopment in the coming months to improve functionality and sustainability. These planned improvements include moving food storage and processing activities to the ground floor to optimize operations.