Press Release
SDF: SAME FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED FOR PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITY
February 19, 2018
SDF has established the SAME Foundation whose goal is to pursue philanthropic purposes, especially in the sectors of scientific research, the fight against poverty and hunger in Africa, safeguarding historic and environmental heritage, and providing assistance for those members of society with the greatest needs. Francesco Carozza is president of the SAME Foundation. The Foundation's headquarters is located in Treviglio in the building depicted on the SAME Foundation logo, which has served as the company's historic headquarters since the mid-1950s.
In 2017, the SAME Foundation disbursed an estimated 127,000 euros in funding for projects that provided research and assistance for the Dermatology Unit and the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and for the Don Gino Rigoldi Foundation, benefiting an educational community that welcomes children in Milan – ages five to thirteen – whose families are facing significant hardship.
In 2018, the SAME Foundation plans to disburse over 460,000 euros, continuing to help these groups and expanding its support for projects that focus on the area in and around Treviglio. Specifically, the Foundation will collaborate with the Municipality of Treviglio – together with the Province of Bergamo – and with the G. Cantoni Istituto Superiore Agrario [Agricultural Institute] of Treviglio to help renovate the Ganassina farmhouse, the historic location for the Institute's teaching activities. The renovation will provide students with room for practical laboratory activities, thereby bolstering agricultural and agri-food training that complies with environmentally sustainable principles. The Foundation plans to disburse 1 million euros in funding for this project over the next three years.
Collaboration with the Municipality of Treviglio will also extend to the "Omnibus 70" project, a service that provides free-of-charge transportation for senior citizens in the city.
A project is also being evaluated that will reach out to a rural population in Kenya. The initiative will focus on agricultural training and on the maintenance of agricultural machines to help improve the efficiency and productivity of agriculture for the population.
Finally, the SAME Foundation will collaborate with FAI, the Italian Environmental Fund, on projects that safeguard artistic, cultural and landscape heritage.
"We are particularly pleased", stated Lodovico Bussolati, CEO of SDF, "that the SDF Foundation has become a reality, making it possible for us to further strengthen the philanthropic activity that has always been part of the spirit of this company".
"Our family", stated Francesco Carozza, Vice President of the SDF Supervisory Board and President of the SAME Foundation, "have always focused on philanthropy, providing support for the territory where SDF operates and for situations that require help all around the world advancing projects that have an important social or scientific impact. The SAME Foundation was established in order to provide a long-lasting, stable approach that makes use of our many years of experience in these areas. We are pleased to note that the SAME Foundation was established as we celebrate the 90th anniversary of our company. My grandfather Francesco Cassani and his brother Eugenio created this company by founding SAME, which grew to become the SDF Group".
