The Embassy of Italy, American Italian Food Coalition, and The Italian Cultural Society of Washington D.C. Hold Annual Easter Egg Hunt to Benefit Local Charity
The fifth annual egg hunt brought together Italian-American families to raise money in support of children’s health and advancements in medical research.
March 23, 2026
Press: Embassy of Italy; ICS; AIFC
Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, March 21, the Embassy of Italy in the United States, in collaboration with the American Italian Food Coalition (AIFC) and The Italian Cultural Society (ICS), hosted its annual Easter egg hunt to benefit the Center for the Advancement of Innovative Health Practices. The Center is the non-profit of Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI), based out of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, which promotes early and lifelong health for children, youth, and families using family-centered measurement, data and tools.
Hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to the United States, H.E. Marco Peronaci, at his Residence “Villa Firenze”, the event was attended by nearly 400 people, including more than 200 children, along with their parents, to celebrate Italian heritage and advance children’s health and medical research. This year’s egg hunt, marking its fifth consecutive year, raised nearly $30,000 in donations to the Center for the Advancement of Innovative Health Practices, bringing the total amount raised for the organization over five years to $120,000.
“This event has become a beautiful tradition at Villa Firenze. It brings together families, friends, and partners to celebrate the joy of childhood while supporting research that helps children and families live healthier lives. It is a wonderful example of how the Italian-American community and our partners can come together to make a meaningful difference”, Ambassador Peronaci noted.
AIFC co-chairs Susan Molinari and Lucy Calautti attended the celebration and offered brief remarks, stating, “On behalf of our more than 500 member companies, we are honored to support children’s health research while celebrating the strong partnership between the United States and Italy. As we saw today, great food brings people and countries together. We look forward to continuing conversations with our friends on both sides of the Atlantic to ensure high-quality Italian products are accessible to American consumers.”
Before the event started, Ambassador Peronaci conferred in a formal ceremony the Order of the Star of Italy upon Lucy Calautti and Susan Molinari, recognizing their outstanding commitment to promoting authentic Italian food and wine traditions in the United States. Through their leadership of the American Italian Food Coalition, they have helped raise awareness of the cultural and economic value of genuine Italian agri-food products, strengthening ties between Italy and the Italian-American community.
“I am honored that the Italian Cultural Society is part of this initiative. The values of family, human connection, and care for children are at the heart of Italian culture. Through our mission to promote Italian language and culture, we strive to bring people together, and this event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate those values while strengthening the bond between Italians and Americans.” Francesca Casazza, Executive Director & CEO of the Italian Cultural Society, underlined.
The event was made possible with support from AIFC member Ferrero, which provided chocolate treats and Kinder Joy of Moving activities for the children. Special guests included Dr. Christina Bethell and Mr. Mark Wietecha, Managing Director of Manatt Health Strategies at Mannatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP.
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The American Italian Food Coalition is an alliance of more than 530 Italian companies, manufacturers, and trade associations dedicated to ensuring American consumers continue to have access to high-quality, affordable imported Italian products including pasta, coffee, biscuits, and wafers.
The mission of the Italian Cultural Society is to promote Italian language and culture by creating opportunities to explore the many facets of Italian culture. The ICS Italian Language Program was founded in 1974 with contributions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the purpose to include Italian language in American schools and to teach Italian in the Unites States. The ICS organizes cultural events and provides Scholarship Awards.
