Buon Appetito!

You can provide emergency food supplies to our youth and their families during this crisis by supporting our Home Together event, which will take place on Tuesday, May 19. This digital feast is approaching fast, so make your gift today!

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When Claire Gallagher, A Chance In Life's Vice President of Development, challenged me last week to prepare a meal to raise funds for our COVID-19 campaign in support of our children, I replied without hesitation. 

“Sure, I’ll do it. How difficult can it be?” But then I realized what I was getting into … I had very little time and no clue where to begin. What should I cook? Which ingredients should I use? Should it be an Italian dish?

These were only some of the questions going through my mind. Right when I was ready to give up, I had an idea. (It is common knowledge that we, the Italians, perform better under pressure and find creative and ingenious ways of solving problems.) Like in the old television show, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, I decided to phone a friend. In this case, the friend who is always there when I need her . . . my good old mother.

She instructed me over the phone to open the fridge and pantry and to describe all the ingredients available. “No stone should be left unturned,” she told me in Italian. Even the most insignificant spice could put a spin on our recipe.

Once I'd finished, there was a long moment of silence while she deliberated. And then, my answer . . . “We are going to make Zuppa di Ceci con Pasta!"

Only a few minutes after our conversation, she sent me the recipe via email. I called her back right away.

“Mom, we have a problem”, I said frantically. “You gave me a recipe for four people, but there are eight of us!"

“Just double everything,” she replied calmly.

“But Mom … but my oven doesn’t go up to 700 degrees!”

I hope you enjoyed watching me cook this old Italian recipe. Even more, I hope you will consider making a donation to provide a meal to our children and their families in support of our COVID-19 campaign. At A Chance In Life, we are a big global family and we want everybody to be able to have food on their table and say … Buon Appetito!

Gabriele Delmonaco
President and Executive Director of A Chance In Life

P.S. Inspired to find some new and unique recipes to cook while at home? If you donate $50 or more to our Home Together event, you'll receive a digital cookbook with recipes from all of our program countries and some of our generous restaurateur sponsors!