Rapporto Conclusivo dell’Indagine Valutativa su Portobello – Emporio Sociale di Modena

Among charitable food redistribution activities, emporia of solidarity can be considered an innovative idea in local welfare systems in Italy, since they try to meet poor households’ need in an effective way, ensuring structured food provision. This report shows the policy evaluation results of an emporium of solidarity located in the municipality of Modena and called "Portobello". Based on Portobello's administrative data and data from an ad hoc survey on recipient households, our analysis highlights that the emporium of solidarity represents a significant help for its recipients in terms of both economic conditions and social inclusion. Specifically, Portobello covers up about 40% of recipients' total expenditure for food, determining an overall increase in the purchasing power equals to 800 euros during the six months of access. Moreover, the emporium improves the work activation and mood of its recipients, reduces the food waste, and encourages volunteering and the adoption of a healthier lifestyle. Finally, results of the social cost-benefit analysis point out that Portobello is worthy of investments since the benefits-costs ratio is equal to 1.99 on average, and the return is even fourfold in terms of volunteering only.