A little extra shopping for someone who needs it
On 14 November, add a little kindness to your shopping list. Here is what to donate, how to take part and where to register to lend a hand.
You know how you go into the supermarket for two things and come out with a full bag? On Saturday 14 November, we can choose to add something with someone else in mind. Rice, pulses, a bottle of oil: something we would use in our own kitchen that will find its way to another table this time.
Colletta Alimentare, Italy’s national food collection organised by Fondazione Banco Alimentare ETS, is back. It is a day when grocery shopping becomes an opportunity to help people struggling to fill their fridge and cupboards. In 2026 the initiative turns thirty and will involve more than 12,000 supermarkets across Italy. This year’s theme is “Gestures that build Peace”. It starts with something very practical: food.
On 14 November, make a little room in your trolley
The date is Saturday 14 November 2026. At participating supermarkets, volunteers will invite shoppers to buy food with a long shelf life and donate it after paying. You can do your usual shop, add the items you have chosen for the collection, then hand them to the volunteers in the store.
To plan your visit, open the official Colletta Alimentare page. This is the place to check for information about participating shops and updates about the day. Look for details for your area before setting off. If the information you need is not there yet, check again closer to the date: details about participating shops may be updated.
What shall we put in the bag?
The foods suggested for the collection include pasta, rice, oil, tuna, pulses and baby food. Before choosing, look at the initiative’s list or ask the volunteers what is needed. It is a simple but valuable question: it helps us buy something useful for the people who will receive our donation.
Check that packaging is intact and that products have not expired. Choose food that can be stored at room temperature: this is a collection of non-perishable food. Unsure about an item? Ask before taking it to the checkout. A few minutes of care are enough, just as when we choose groceries for our own home.
How much should you spend? Decide according to what you can afford. Choosing a single item is one way to join in too. If money is tight this month, you do not need to explain yourself: you know what is possible for you. Solidarity should make room for each person’s life and difficulties as well.
If you are shopping with children, you could suggest choosing a donation together. A simple explanation is enough: these groceries will help people who need them today. Choosing, paying and handing over the food makes the gesture understandable for little ones too. It also gives adults a lovely opportunity to talk with them, without turning everything into a lesson.
Who receives the food?
The food collected is distributed to charitable organisations partnered with the Banco Alimentare network, which help people facing difficulties. The bag left at the supermarket becomes part of a journey: people collect it, organise it and get the food to the organisations supporting people in local communities.
We probably will not know the name of whoever receives our groceries. We can still choose with the care we would show someone dear to us. Useful food, packaging in good condition, attention to what has been requested: dignity is reflected in these details too. The need for food concerns an essential part of life and deserves that care.
You can give some of your time too
Would you like to experience the day as part of the team? Volunteer registration for Colletta 2026 is open. The first step asks for an email address: you will receive a verification code to continue. Then follow the organisers’ instructions to arrange your availability, location and activities.
It could be an experience to suggest to a friend, your family or your parish group. Before arranging a group visit, especially if children or teenagers are involved, ask what arrangements apply. If this is your first time, say so: you do not need to arrive knowing everything. Start with the time you can offer and let the team explain how you can help.
For registration enquiries, write to volontari.colletta@bancoalimentare.it. The portal also lists 02 89658459, Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm, Italian time. If the email code does not arrive, check your spam folder; the site asks you to wait ten minutes before trying again.
Peace can start here too
The thirtieth edition was presented at the Sacred Convent of St Francis in Assisi, in the year marking eight hundred years since the saint’s death. Read the account of the launch and watch the video below. The invitation includes people who have never taken part, with a particular welcome for young people.
Source: Launch in Assisi, video linked by Cdo Opere Sociali ↗
For those of us who carry God in our hearts, charity takes shape this way too: noticing that someone needs food and doing our part. On 14 November, between the shopping list on our phone and the checkout queue, we can remember that. How would you like to join in: with food to donate, some of your time or a friend you could invite?
Solidarity around food continues throughout the year. Discover HERE YOU CHOOSE YOUR GROCERIES. EVEN WHEN YOU NEED HELP. and AT THE REFETTORIO, SETTING THE TABLE IS WELCOME TOO..
