Italian Welfare League

The Italian Welfare League has a rich history of social service which began when Italian immigrants first arrived on U.S. shores at the turn of the Twentieth Century. The 91 year-old charitable organization has gone from helping Italian immigrants on the New York City piers to its present mission of assisting children of Italian descent who have medical problems or are suffering from emotional trauma. Its “I Nostri Bambini” campaign was founded in the aftermath of 9/11 when the League provided resources to the mothers of eight newborns of Italian descent who were born fatherless as a result of the collapse of The World Trade Center. Since then, The League has widened its arms to assist multitudes of children, many of whom are Autistic, or are afflicted with various forms of Cancer, Cooley’s Anemia, Brain Injury, Skin Disease, Genetic Disorders, Down Syndrome, have been injured in accidents or have tragically lost a parent. In the past ten years, the League has raised and distributed over a half million dollars to hundreds of these special needs children and donated “Special Needs Grants” to several organizations which provide services to these children. Taking small steps in a big world, the Italian Welfare League is the “little engine” that keeps climbing up the charitable ladder, one child at a time. The League’s mission is to bridge the gap between what families can’t afford, and what insurance doesn’t cover—for badly needed supplies, treatment and services, by extending a helping hand within its own population.