© ANSA
(ANSA) - MILAN, MAY 11 - Free delivery of groceries, support for the poor and help to hospital structures were the lines of intervention put in place by Coop Lombardia to support those who have been most exposed to the Covid emergency in recent months: elderly people or forced into isolation, health workers and families in financial difficulties. Over 40 thousand expenses were delivered to home by CoopLombardia during the lockdown. "Right from the start we have support from municipalities and the various realities of the world of volunteering in the delivery of grocery deliveries, expanding our service 'Two more hands', which started twenty years ago in Milan. In March and adaprile, for each month we arrived to more than 20,000 expenses delivered free of charge to elderly people throughout the region ", emphasized the vice president of Coop Lombardia, Alfredo DeBellis. Since the first days of the emergency, an area for the collection of first necessity and long-life goods for the needy has been set up in all Coop Lombardia stores. The sign has donated a total of 200 thousand euros to the hospitals of Treviglio and Brescia and to the 'Milano Aiuta' fund, while 5,500 masks have been distributed as gifts to different Lombard Rsa. The entire Coop Lombardia network has responded to requests for basic necessities and clothing items by mayors, the Red Cross, Civil Protection and hospitals: as of April 27, the value of the goods donated has reached 31 thousand euros. In support of the Red Cross, the '+ strong together' solidarity campaign was launched, with collection of points, purchase of solidarity cards and payments to the dedicated account. "Right from the start there was a firm stance from Coop, that of wanting to be close to our members and to our customers in this difficult moment", stressed the director of Coop Lombardia Andrea Colombo, remarking "that he blocked everyone the prices of the packaged products, both those with the Coop brand and those of the industry, until May 31 ". Government vouchers have also been enhanced, with an additional 10% discount. On the masks, Coop Lombardia has responded to the invitation of the Government by adopting the price of 0.50 cents (net of VAT) for disposable surgical veils. On the security front, "first - said Colombo - we installed all our plexiglass barriers to protect our cashiers and customers at the time of payment". The use of technology with the 'queue at home' system, which allows you to book a time slot for shopping in Coop stores, while the online booking service for shopping with the collection of products directly by car "has also been increased" has increased by 300% ". "In these two months we have managed to strengthen the voluntary structures that have operated to manage the various criticalities of the emergency. Our volunteer members also played a leading role in this network. An important action, which we will continue also in phase two", he assured vice president De Bellis.