Don Gualtiero Mensa: 110 meals a day for the poor

The Caritas “Don Gualtiero” soup kitchen in Perugia , at the Villaggio della Carità – Sorella Provvidenza, in via Montemalbe 1, is a unique and very effective model of assistance to the poor who receive a complete meal here (an average of 110 meals a day are served), all with “express cooking”.

This means that, thanks to the shift work of around fifty volunteers, the food is prepared and cooked on site , instead of simply being reheated after being prepared elsewhere.

In the case of the Don Gualtiero Mensa, this means that the kitchen prepares meals directly on-site, organizing service based on current needs: the pasta is cooked on the spot; the sauces and dishes are prepared in the canteen kitchen; the same goes for the side dishes.

Once prepared, the express lunch is then served to the guests.

Where do the food and raw materials for the 110 daily meals offered at the Mensa Don Gualtiero come from? The name of the soup kitchen is linked to Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti, Bishop of Perugia for approximately 13 years (from 2009 to 2022), who was deeply committed to the fight against poverty. The sources are:

• Private citizens: small neighborhood communities, made up of Perugia residents who are very active in recovering food that would otherwise go to waste.
• Supermarkets and shops: the Caritas network recovers the surpluses and unsold goods, particularly the late-night sales of supermarkets and shops. Official data from Caritas reports that, for the Villaggio della Carità, unsold evening goods were recovered from these very businesses.
• Even some starred chefs They collaborate in collecting food donated to the Don Gualtiero soup kitchen.
• Companies and other local entitiesThe canteen is also supported through donations and collaborations with local businesses and industries.
• Foundations and funding bodies: here we must distinguish the food dai moneyFor example, in 2025, the Perugia Foundation funded a project to improve refrigerators and food storage; this doesn't necessarily mean it donated the food.
• Specific fundraisers for the canteen: the San Lorenzo Charity Foundation has a campaign dedicated to the Don Gualtiero Mensa, also aimed at purchasing foods, as well as other necessary goods.

On June 12, 2026, the Solidarity Bar was also inaugurated, adjacent to the soup kitchen. It was created not only to offer drinks and traditional local products, but also to create a space for meeting, socializing, and normalcy for those who frequent the soup kitchen, particularly those experiencing vulnerability. While the soup kitchen satisfies the need for food, the bar is a place that strengthens the response to loneliness and creates community.

Read also

• Ruben, the restaurant where you can eat for 1 euro
• Refectories for the poor designed by Chef Bottura
• People's Kitchens in Bologna: four locations and hundreds of meals for the poor served every day.