L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 4 I n S a n F r a n c i s c o ' s historic North Beach neighborhood stands C a s a F u g a z i . Established in 1913 by Italian immigrant John F. Fugazi, this landmark was b u i l t f o r t h e l o c a l I t a l i a n c o m m u n i t y : a w e l c o m i n g s p a c e w h e r e n e w a r r i v a l s c o u l d b u i l d c o n n e c t i o n s , enjoy music, and find sup- port as they built their new lives in America. T h r e e y e a r s a f t e r C a s a Fugazi opened its doors, a group of community mem- bers, including A.P. Gianni- ni, Domingo Ghirardelli Jr., and Marco J. Fontana, for- malized a support network that would stand across gen- erations. What began as the Italian Board of Relief has evolved into Italian Com- munity Services, making it one of North America's oldest operating Italian non- profits, covering seven Bay Area counties, including San Francisco Marin, Alameda, S a n M a t e o , S a n t a C l a r a , Contra Costa, and Sonoma. Today, the agency contin- ues to serve as a safety net for vulnerable seniors and families, act as a cultural hub, and support organiza- tions who promote Italian language and culture, a key area where it has evolved over the years. F o r S t e v e L e v e r o n i , a l o n g - t i m e I C S B o a r d Leader, the organization's legacy is personal. Leveroni r e p r e s e n t s t h r e e g e n e r a - tions of family connection. "I've followed in the foot- s t e p s a n d s t o o d o n t h e shoulders of my grandfa- ther, my father, and now myself," Leveroni reflects. "When my dad passed away, I s t e p p e d i n t o h i s s h o e s . The board has been willing to put up with me for easily 40 years now. They've made me president three times, I think they were hoping this time I'd finally get it right," he jokes. Leveroni's tenure offers a rare perspective on how North Beach and the Italian-American communi- ty have transformed over t h e d e c a d e s . D e s p i t e t h e demographic and economic shifts, the neighborhood's cultural core remains the same. "You can't think of S a n F r a n c i s c o w i t h o u t thinking of the Italian com- m u n i t y a n d t h e r o l e w e played not just physically constructing it, but shaping its culture," Leveroni con- tinues. "North Beach has changed and lots of Italians r a i s e d h e r e m o v e d a w a y . Yet, we are still the dining room table for the Italian community. People come back to North Beach when they want to feel at home, to visit their favorite restau- rants, gather at Casa Fugazi, o r l o o k a t t h e i r r o o t s , " Leveroni explains. Over a century of continuous oper- ations, the way ICS fulfills its mission has adapted to the evolving times. In its early decades, the focus was helping newly arrived immi- g r a n t s a s s i m i l a t e i n t o American society and guid- ing families through civic i n s t i t u t i o n s . " W h e n w e started, one of the primary t h i n g s w e d i d w a s t e a c h E n g l i s h t o I t a l i a n i m m i - grants to help them navi- gate American life and get t h e i r c i t i z e n s h i p , " s a y s Leveroni. "Today, we are teaching Italian to English- speaking Italian-Americans. While tools shift, our com- mitment has never altered." While the board charts strategic direction and long- term goals, Executive Direc- tor Vyria Paselk Haverhals and her staff manage the daily realities of an agency involved in people's lives. For Paselk Haverhals, who brought global non-profit e x p e r i e n c e t o I C S , t h e power of a small local orga- nization lies not only in the m e t r i c s , b u t a l s o i n t h e depth of its human care. "I c o m e f r o m a n o n - p r o f i t background where I man- aged global work serving thousands of entities," she shares. "There is a place for that scale; small community organizations like ICS are critical in a different way. We don't focus on high-vol- ume touchpoints or try to boost a database by thou- sands of names. Our impact comes from going deep and taking care of human beings at an individual level." On any given week, the staff helps local seniors navigate complex medical or utility bills, manage technology, apply for Social Security, or coordinate medical transit. T h e w e e k l y f r e e s e n i o r lunches, on every Wednes- day of each month, provide nutritional support along- side warmth, conversation, and relief from social isola- t i o n . P a s e l k H a v e r h a l s r e c a l l s a n e x a m p l e t h a t shows how far this commit- ment extends. An elderly Italian woman with no liv- ing relatives relied on ICS for housing support, med- ical advocacy, care pack- ages, and home visits. As ICS at 110: keeping North Beach's Italian soul alive across the Bay Area SERENA PERFETTO NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Casa Fugazi, in San Francisco's North Beach, celebrates the 110th birthday of the ICS

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