(Washington, April 8, 2024) – Approximately 170 children participated in the charity Easter egg hunt hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, Mariangela Zappia, in the backyard of Villa Firenze. The event, organized in collaboration with the American Italian Food Coalition and the Italian Cultural Society, with the support of Ferrero, raised thirty thousand dollars from individual donors and the Children’s Hospital Association. The funds are intended for the Center for the Advancement of Innovative Health Practices (Innovate Health), a non-profit center promoting access to healthcare services for families and children founded in 2007 by Professor Christina Bethell, a researcher and lecturer at Johns Hopkins University.
Ambassador Zappia highlighted the contribution that the 70,000 dollars raised over three years from the Embassy’s Easter egg hunt have provided to Innovate Health, helping to improve medical prevention services for children and families, with a positive impact on the quality of primary education as well.
In addition to the Ambassador, Susan Molinari and Lucy Calautti, Co-Chairwomen of the American Italian Food Coalition, Sara Forden, a member of the board of directors of the Italian Cultural Society, and Professor Bethell also participated.
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The American Italian Food Coalition brings together 530 Italian companies, producers, and trade associations and aims to promote access for American consumers to quality Italian products.
The Italian Cultural Society is an institution dedicated to managing and promoting the Italian language and culture, accredited by the Embassy of Italy and recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). The Italian language program was founded in 1974 to offer Italian courses to adults and students and to promote the teaching of the Italian language and culture in American schools.
