Caritas seeks acts of kindness to help Rome families in need during crisis.

Rome charity Caritas is helping families who can't make ends meet as a result of the economic fallout from the Coronavirus lockdown by providing them with free food items donated by Romans.

The Caritas volunteers work all year round to help the city's homeless people and families in financial difficulty, however the recent surge in demand due to the Covid-19 crisis has put the diocesan charity under pressure.

Una raccolta alimentare straordinaria per le parrocchie della @diocesidiroma in tutti i supermercati e centri commerciali #Emmepiù. La Caritas attiva il #carrellosospeso#ChiCiSeparerà #CaritasOnCovid19 pic.twitter.com/3ZdBGBFuC3

— Caritas Roma (@CaritasRoma) April 1, 2020

Here's how you can help. Caritas is organising an initiative called Carrello Sospeso, based on the Neapolitan tradition of the caffè sospeso, an anonymous act of generosity in which the customer pays for an additional coffee to be enjoyed later by a stranger who cannot afford it.

• If you need it, take it: Romans help each other in crisis
• Acts of kindness: Italy helps the most fragile during crisis

Shoppers in Rome are asked to purchase one or more long-life food items (such as pasta and tinned goods, as well as baby food and nappies) and put them into the 'Carrello Sospeso', at the exit of participating Emmepiù supermarkets.

Caritas volunteers will then collect the food at closing time and distribute it to those in need from the charity's headquarters on Via Casilina Vecchia.