How Coins from the Trevi Fountain Will Save the Homeless in Rome

The Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain | © weareaway/Pixabay

The city of Rome has backtracked on its plan to claim the coins chucked in the Trevi Fountain. The plan, which came to light in November 2017, would have broken a longstanding agreement with the Catholic charity Caritas that sees them receive a sizeable donation of around €1.4 million a year. Now, local government, headed by Virginia Raggi of the populist Five Star Movement, has decided Caritas can continue to use the funds to help the homeless – for now, at least.

Loved by over 40s

Rather than dropping the proposal completely, the administration has simply postponed it to allow time for a new distribution of funds to be studied. Originally, control of the coins was slated to transfer from Caritas to local government on 1 April, however a seemingly last-minute decision sees the switch delayed until 31 December.

A spokesperson from the cash-strapped council (the city faces debts of €13.6 million) said, ‘We want to give space to other voluntary groups in Rome so a ‘study group’, composed of experts from within the administration, will be created’.

Italian daily newspaper, the Corriere della Sera, reported that Caritas responded to the decision with ‘perplexity’ while other media outlets focused on the group’s commitment to continuing to assist Rome’s most disadvantaged citizens, even if this revenue stream will dry up at the end of the year.

Msgr. Enrico Feroci, director of Caritas Rome, said that entrusting the money to the charitable organisation ‘concretely expresses the solidarity of the whole city of Rome toward those who suffer and are disadvantaged.’

Each year Caritas assists thousands of Romans and foreigners who find themselves in difficulty in the capital – offering food, beds, healthcare, training courses and support to find work. Feroci highlighted the charity’s long history of ‘reaching out and encountering the most diverse forms of poverty,’ particularly among the homeless, elderly, migrants and struggling families.

Caritas uses the coins collected from the Trevi Fountain to fund its social welfare projects in Rome

‘Responsibility, transparency, a spirit of service and witness: These are the attitudes that have guided us in these years in which the city of Rome has entrusted the proceeds of the Trevi Fountain coins to Caritas,’ Feroci said.

‘This is the spirit with which Caritas will continue the management of the Trevi Fountain coins.’ He also credited the millions of tourists who toss the coins as being ‘protagonists of change’ for the city’s poor.

Caritas was founded in 1971 and since 2004 the Roman branch of the organisation has received the coins, which are sucked up out of the Trevi Fountain every day using a giant vacuum.

culture trip left arrow
 culture trip brand logo

Volcanic Iceland Epic Trip

meet our Local Insider

Hanna

women sitting on iceberg

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A GUIDE?

2 years.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?

It's the personal contact, the personal experiences. I love meeting people from all over the world... I really like getting to know everyone and feeling like I'm traveling with a group of friends.

WHAT DESTINATION IS ON YOUR TRAVEL BUCKET-LIST?

I have so many places on my list, but I would really lobe to go to Africa. I consider myself an “adventure girl” and Africa feels like the ULTIMATE adventure!

culture trip logo letter c
group posing for picture on iceberg
group posing for picture on iceberg

Every CULTURE TRIP Small-group adventure is led by a Local Insider just like Hanna.

map of volcanic iceland trip destination points
culture trip brand logo
culture trip right arrow
landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.