- BY ISSIMO
- October 7, 2024
Lunch at a Michelin-star chef’s house? Now there’s an idea, especially when it’s all about supporting children living with disabilities. An initiative of L’abilità, a non-for-profit organisation based in Milan, ‘A Casa di Antonio’ is just one of many ongoing special projects that reflects the organisation’s community-wide commitment to improving the quality of life for children with disabilities.
Founded in 1988 by Laura Borghetto, L’abilità provides an incredible range of services and programs for children with disabilities, and an essential support network for parents and families. These initiatives span education, schooling and housing, and also a more general focus on ensuring children with disabilities feel included and accepted in the wider community.
‘A Casa di Antonio’ - A charity lunch at Chef Guida’s house
Once a month, L’abilità partners with Michelin-star chef Antonio Guida (former Executive Chef at Hotel Il Pellicano) for a one-of-a-kind charity initiative. Chef Guida, now Executive Chef at the Mandarin Oriental’s ‘Seta’ restaurant (Milan), joins his wife Luciana in generously opening their house to a group of guests for a very special Sunday lunch. With artful dishes personally prepared in the home kitchen by Chef Guida and his team, guests relax and enjoy an afternoon of fine food and the great company of like-minded people showing their support for L’abilità’s work.
“The word that best describes these lunches is ‘sharing.’ These events were born out of the desire to share our personal stories and contributions in order to support L’abilità and their work with children. The idea of opening our house and cooking for 12 friends each time was natural. I sincerely thank all the people who have stood by us over the years”, says Chef Guida.
Food has always been a way of uniting the community and emphasising important causes, and this fantastic charity lunch is certainly no exception. Proceeds from the lunch support the construction of the ‘Le piccole case’, which is L’abilità new specialised day centre that will support children with autism from next year onwards.
L’abilità’s mission
Every child deserves equal opportunities to experience life to the fullest. L’abilità supports children with disabilities by providing a safe and inspiring community where kids are offered opportunities to play, learn, and have fun. From guided sporting activities, to inclusive camps, interactive creative workshops, performances, and far beyond, L’abilità’s programs nurture a child’s interaction in the community and provide them with a wide range of new experiences.
As part of the organisation’s structure, L’abilità offers several services including L’Officina delle abilità (day care services for children with disabilities), LudoLab (an inclusive play centre for children with different types of disabilities), Le piccole case (a specialised day centre for young children with disabilities) and Casa di L’abilità (a residential community for children with complex disabilities).
Based in Milan’s La Senavra building, Casa di L’abilità is a safe and welcoming environment for children living with disabilities and their families across the community. Equipped with residential and healthcare facilities, play and leisure areas, and special facilities for parents and families, Casa di L’abilità demonstrates the essential role community plays in improving the daily quality of life for children with disabilities.
L’abilità’s work continues to inspire us to consider how we can make a difference in the community, particularly when it comes to supporting youth and children living with disabilities. Whether it’s booking your place at Chef Guida’s table for the next charity lunch, or reaching out to help in other ways, it’s always rewarding to know that even a simple gesture of support goes a long way in helping to improve the lives of others.
Photo credits: © Matteo Carassale