Calcutta was too far away for that little girl, but she nevertheless began to put her resolutions into practice with a classmate in elementary school. For snack time, her mother would make her bread with oil, salt, and rubbed tomato sauce, but in her class there was a girl who never had a snack, so she offered hers, being careful not to offend her: “Please eat it, I’m not hungry, but if I bring it home, my mother will beat me!” Of course, this wasn’t true; she wouldn’t be punished; she simply considered that the little girl needed it more than she did. This is Maria Scarpellino, a person from whom kindness flows spontaneously; her every gesture and word has the sole intent of giving others what they need. Without making it a burden.
As the culmination of a long career in volunteering, carried out in various settings in the city, in 2012 she founded Raggi di Speranza in Stazione, a charity dedicated to institutionalizing care for the homeless. She is its president… a very unconventional one, given that she doesn’t shy away from anything that needs to be done: meeting with authorities or sorting out the groceries that arrive from the Food Bank, preparing meals, or meeting with homeless people who ask to be taken in. A welcome that is the affectionate embrace of a family, donated every evening in the food bag, along with the certainty of being listened to and of “turning tears into smiles,” as a homeless person once told Maria.
It’s a vision not always understood, but its social impact significantly influences the balance of the community that benefits from it: the “invisible” know they find respect, affection, and support here, free from any form of judgment or prejudice. Raggi recognizes the merit of good will, and it is from this perspective that it fulfills a highly significant social function, alleviating the desperation of those who no longer have any bearings, curbing hardships that, otherwise, could erupt into serious forms of deviance.
According to Maria, hospitality comes from afar, comforted by people with the same sentiments, values, and principles: she, Giampiero Tesi, and their families supported each other with the simple certainty of each other’s presence, whenever needed. Their friendship began in Lourdes, where they were volunteers with Unitalsi, and grew through the strength of a faith that always found them full of energy to help the sick. Now that Giampiero is no longer with us, his grandson Fabrizio ensures his family’s presence, spiritually and materially, for Raggi di Speranza: “Her work is an extraordinary example of altruism and social responsibility, as she has built a network that goes beyond simple caregiving, embracing the humanity and dignity of every human being. Thanks to her courage, vision, and generosity, she is undoubtedly a source of inspiration for all, showing us every day how solidarity and caring for others can transform the world we live in.”
Maria’s world attracts like a magnet: along with the desperate, people of good will come to her, carrying out the daily work of preparing and distributing meals, but not only that. Indeed, by encouraging one another, they launch complementary initiatives that are no less useful: for example, last March, some volunteers established Oltreverde Impresa Sociale, to provide employment and integration opportunities. Equally noteworthy is “Through the Eyes of a Homeless Person,” a fascinating journey to discover familiar places, but through the perspective of those who call the city home.
In recognition of this woman’s achievements, some volunteers secretly promoted her candidacy for Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, a title that was officially awarded to her on June 2nd. She is, as the volunteers define her, “a Knight whose sword is strong in the knowledge of having helped so many people redeem their lives, giving them new opportunities.”
