Italy faces child poverty crisis as local meal programs expand

New data from ISTAT and Save the Children highlights a significant social crisis in Italy, where one in eight minors (12.5%) lives in absolute poverty. This affects approximately 1.14 million children and adolescents. The poverty rate is highest in Southern Italy at 15.2%, while the lowest is in Central Italy at 10.7%. Families with three or more children and households composed solely of foreign citizens face significantly higher risks, with the latter seeing a poverty rate of 31.4%.

In response to these structural inequalities, local initiatives are working to provide essential support. In Brescia, the “Aggiungi un posto a mensa” (Add a seat at the canteen) project is resuming for the 2026/2027 school year. The initiative, a collaboration between local associations and social services, aims to provide school meals to children from families facing financial difficulties. The project focuses on using lunchtime as a tool for socialization and integration, having already funded 88 canteen spots over the previous four years.