L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS her health declined, Mara, a nurse on the ICS staff, visit- ed her, sitting at her bedside on the final morning so she would not pass away alone. " T h i s i s n ' t s o m e t h i n g w e publicize, but it illustrates the gravitas of how we care for people, from bureaucrat- i c h e l p a l l t h e w a y p a s t d e a t h , " P a s e l k H a v e r h a l s notes. "You can't deliver that level of care if your primary metric is processing calls as fast as possible. That is why o u r c o m m u n i t y t r u s t s u s . When a family needs a trust- e d c a r e g i v e r , a r e l i a b l e l a w y e r , o r g u i d a n c e f o r a vulnerable relative, they call ICS because of the trust built over a century." ICS provides this spec - trum of social and cultural services without city, state, or federal government fund- i n g . T h e a g e n c y o p e r a t e s i n d e p e n d e n t l y t h r o u g h a commercial building lease, historically housing iconic p r o d u c t i o n s l i k e B e a c h Blanket Babylon and Dear S a n F r a n c i s c o , a l o n g s i d e private foundation grants and the generosity of indi- vidual donors. " T h e r e i s s o m e t i m e s a misconception that all Ital- ian-Americans made it big and no one needs help any- more," Leveroni observes. "While many families built s u c c e s s f u l b u s i n e s s e s i n banking, construction, food, or trade, and keep on giving back and continue to sup- port us, some others were left behind or face hardships i n o l d a g e d u e t o f i x e d incomes, medical costs, or inflation. Our community's g e n e r o s i t y , f r o m f a m i l y benefactors down to people giving $25 or $100, keeps this safety net strong." Paselk Haverhals empha- sizes that engaging the cur- rent wave of modern Italian professionals moving to the Bay Area is also a vital part of this philanthropic effort. "We want to inspire these newly arrived, highly edu- cated, and successful profes- sionals to connect with this l e g a c y s t o r y a n d s e e t h e value of giving back to the community that welcomed those before them." Beyond its social safety net, ICS uses Casa Fugazi as a physical incubator for the Bay Area Italian ecosystem. The agency opens its rooms free of charge to local non- profits, cultural societies, student groups, and neigh- borhood organizations. ICS i n v e s t s h e a v i l y i n y o u t h e n g a g e m e n t a n d c u l t u r a l continuity. Through the ICS Riccio Educational Grant Program, the agency funds Italian language and cultur- al initiatives in schools and organizations across the Bay A r e a e a c h y e a r , s u c h a s L o w e l l H i g h S c h o o l a n d Marin Catholic, providing students with direct access to language education and i m m e r s i v e c u l t u r a l f i e l d trips. "When student groups like the children from La Scuola visit Casa Fugazi, we s h o w t h e m a r o u n d t h e building and share the ori- gin story of how local lead- ers a century ago created this space and founded this organization," says Paselk Haverhals. "We show them that bankers, chocolatiers, and artisans gave back to build something lasting. We even framed self-portraits created by visiting students t o d i s p l a y o n o u r w a l l s , challenging them directly: "This is the legacy left for you, what are you going to give back to your communi- ty?" To ensure the organiza- tion remains resilient for t h e n e x t c e n t u r y , I C S engages the next generation of civic leadership. By part- nering with initiatives like I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n F u t u r e L e a d e r s , e n g a g i n g w i t h media partners like Rai Cin- ema, and involving young professionals as volunteers and supporters, the agency is looking for a fresh wave of leadership. As ICS prepares for its 1 1 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y G a l a , themed 110 Years of Com- munity: One Unforgettable Night, the milestone serves as both a warm reflection on history and a launching pad for the future. The event will bring together generations of supporters and civic lead- ers to honor a century-plus o f s e r v i c e w h i l e r a i s i n g funds for the agency's ongo- i n g p r o g r a m s . F o r b o t h board leadership and execu- tive staff, reaching this mile- s t o n e c o n f i r m s t h a t l o c a l community ties remain irre- placeable. "Some non-prof- its should aim to work them- selves out of a job by solving a s i n g l e s p e c i f i c i s s u e , " reflects Paselk Haverhals. "Small, community-focused organizations like ours need to be here for another hun- dred years. Needs evolve, l a n g u a g e s c h a n g e , a n d demographics shift, but the fundamental human need for trust, care, and cultural c o n n e c t i o n n e v e r g o e s a w a y , " L e v e r o n i a g r e e s . v i e w i n g t h e u p c o m i n g anniversary as a testament to shared purpose. "The core m e s s a g e o f o u r 1 1 0 t h anniversary is simple: the need is still here, and so are we. With the ongoing sup- port of our community, Ital- ian Community Services will continue to be the dining room table for generations to come." Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, Massimo Carnelos, also shared his thoughts about this impor- t a n t m i l e s t o n e : " W h a t makes Italian Community Services so special is that, for more than a century, it has translated the values of o u r c o m m u n i t y i n t o c o n - crete action. Whether sup- porting seniors, investing in y o u n g p e o p l e , o r h e l p i n g families navigate difficult moments, ICS reminds us that Italian heritage is not o n l y s o m e t h i n g w e c e l e - brate, but something we put into practice through soli- darity and service. The Con- sulate General is proud to celebrate this remarkable milestone and the enduring contribution of ICS to the City of San Francisco." T h e 1 1 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y will be held at Casa Fugazi, 6 7 8 G r e e n S t r e e t i n S a n F r a n c i s c o o n S u n d a y , November 8th, starting at 6 P M . F u l l p r o g r a m a t https:// www. italiancs.org/ "What makes Italian Community Services so special is that, for more than a century, it has transla- ted the values of our community into concrete action. The Consulate General is proud to celebra- te this remarkable milestone." - Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, Massimo Carnelos CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 A group of children and adults gather outside San Francisco's historic Casa Fugazi, highlighting the importance of cul- tural experiences and community activities for younger generations; below: volunteers and community members gath- er around bags of supplies prepared for distribution, reflecting the spirit of solidarity and practical assistance that has long characterized Italian-American mutual aid organizations (Photos: Nadia Andreini)

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