Fri Oct 24, 2008
By Marie-Louise Gumuchian
MILAN, Oct 24 (Reuters) - An empty plastic bag in hand, Italian shop assistant Stefano G. stands in line with hundreds of others waiting to collect handouts of basic foods he says he can no longer afford.
For the last seven months, the 43-year-old, who supports his pensioner parents and declined to give his full name because he did not want to be recognised, has been coming to the Pane Quotidiano (Daily Bread) charity in Milan to take home free bread, milk, fruit and vegetables and other produce. Charities in Italy -- where according to the World Bank Gross National Income was $33,540 per head in 2007 -- say a rising number of people of working or pensionable age are seeking their help.
Known as "the new poor" to some, the first-timers line up to collect food or eat at soup kitchens, where charities say they still represent a minority compared with immigrants. http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSLK36188720081024?sp=true