Ceramiche di Frassinoro has supported the association Bricolage del cuore(Do-it-yourself from the heart), a corporate volunteering project set up by Leroy Merlin for projects with a social purpose, since 2019.

The idea behind Bricolage del Cuore is simple yet innovative: going from “do-it-yourself” to “do-it-ourselves”, with projects by the community, for the community. Starting with the first project in 2019, shown in this video.

Despite the Covid-19 emergency that prevented events from being held in person in 2020, Ceramiche Frassinoro participated in the project and supplied concrete-effect porcelain for the flooring of the “Emporio della Solidarietà” (solidarity emporium) and the “Aggiungi un posto a tavola” (Set another place at the table) dining hall at Caritas Ambrosiana in Rho (Milan).

The project, implemented with architect Laura Romanò, saw the renovation of an abandoned building owned by the parish of San Paolo, across from the church in Via Mazzolari.

capannone Via Mazzolari Milano

The plan was to set up a centre for aiding poor and vulnerable members of the community, which hosts two important facilities:

 “Aggiungi un posto a tavola” dining hall (84 seats) with kitchen. A soup kitchen operating in the same successful way as the one previously located in the Santuario dei Padri Oblati and then in city-owned premises in Via Castelli Fiorenza.

Emporio della solidarietà, with annexed warehouse. An Emporio della solidarietà or solidarity emporium is a retail outlet – a fully-fledged shop – operated by Caritas Ambrosiana to provide assistance for vulnerable households in the form of food supplies and relational assistance aimed at helping them regain independence. The key goal of the Emporio is to offer people a concrete opportunity to supplement their income in order to overcome times of crisis, and to respond actively to hardship.

Here are some photos of the project.