On Saturday, November 14, the Food Collection Day (Colletta Alimentare) returns for its thirtieth edition. In San Marino too, at participating supermarkets, volunteers will ask shoppers to donate part of their purchases to those in need.
On Titano, the initiative is promoted by the Friends of the San Marino Food Bank (Amici del Banco Alimentare San Marino), together with the Banco Alimentare Foundation. In the Republic, the collection takes place under the High Patronage of the Captains Regent.
The need is close to home. According to the association, Caritas San Marino currently assists more than 80 families, 63 of them Sammarinese. Last year, the food collected in the Republic was donated to the Caritas vicariate of San Marino, based at the San Michele Centre.
Taking part is simple. Volunteers will be stationed at participating supermarkets — shoppers just need to buy a little extra and hand it to them on their way out.
In 2025, across Italy and San Marino, 8,600 tonnes of food were donated at 12,000 points of sale, thanks to 163,000 volunteers. This year’s message draws on the words of Pope Leo XIV for the World Day of the Poor.
Those wishing to volunteer or find out more can find all the information on the Banco Alimentare website, at bancoalimentare.it/colletta-alimentare.
Insider supports the Food Collection Day and is hosting its banner free of charge until November 14.
