A Bridge Between Two Shores
A Letter from Our President
Dear Friend,
My name is Daniele Costanza. I am the President of QÛM Social Enterprise, operating in Policoro and the surrounding Metaponto region — in Basilicata, the southern region of Italy from which thousands of families like yours left for America generations ago.
I write to you not as a fundraiser, but as a neighbor across the ocean. Because we share something important: the land. The soil under my feet today is the same soil that nourished your grandparents before they boarded a ship to start a new life in the United States.
Your family left this land because there were no opportunities. They built a future in America with hard work, faith, and dignity. That is your inheritance.
Today, here in Basilicata, we are doing something different. We are not asking anyone to leave. We are creating opportunities so that those who remain — migrants, people with disabilities, women in difficulty, young people at risk — can find work, dignity, and a future without having to abandon their homeland.
In April 2026, our project Basilicata For All was recognized by the Italian Ministry for Disabilities as a National Best Practice at EXPOAID 2026 in Rimini. ANSA, Italy's premier news agency, covered the news. It was a moment of pride for our entire community.
But this is just the beginning. We have a vision called Oasis of Dreams — a constellation of six social workshops (tailoring, agriculture, crafts, hospitality, education) that will become a model of inclusive economy for Southern Italy.
To make this vision real, we need partners. We need people who understand that investing in Basilicata today means honoring the journey your family took yesterday.
This document is an honest, transparent account of who we are, what we have achieved, what we need, and — most importantly — what we can build together.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for considering us.
With deep gratitude and a hand extended across the ocean,
Daniele Costanza
President, QÛM Social Enterprise
QÛM at a Glance
Real impact, verified by official social and financial reports.
Our Story: From Eight Friends to a National Model
QÛM was born in 2019 in Basilicata. Eight friends — eight ordinary people moved by an extraordinary conviction: that the dignity of a person is not measured by their problems, but by the work and the community we can build together.
We were inspired by the Policoro Project, an initiative of the Italian Catholic Church (through the Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro) that empowers young people from Southern Italy to create cooperatives addressing local needs through the Catholic Social Teaching.
We were eight founding members. We pooled €200 each — a total social capital of €1,600. We had no offices, no employees, no funding. We had a name we had chosen carefully: QÛM, the Hebrew word that Jesus used to raise the dead and the broken: "Rise up."
Our Journey
Eight friends. €1,600 of capital. First projects with the Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro.
First paid employees. Partnership with Region of Basilicata begins.
Registration with the Italian National Register of the Third Sector — RUNTS Reg. n. 5916.
Operational in 17 municipalities. Partnership with Fondazione Con il Sud, Caritas, European Union.
Production value reaches €226,417 (+55% from 2023). Net equity doubles. Bank debt reduced 70%.
Basilicata For All — of which QÛM is a partner — recognized by the Italian Ministry for Disabilities at EXPOAID 2026.
What We Do Today: Five Active Projects
Our work is anchored in five operational projects running simultaneously in 7 municipalities of the Metaponto region. All five contribute to our long-term vision called Oasis of Dreams.
Basilicata For All 2.0 — Accessible Tourism
Target: tourists with mobility, sensory, or cognitive needs
Activities: Operational Hub with multilingual info, Braille, and Augmentative Communication; social taxi service; staff trained in Italian Sign Language; accessible beaches in Policoro and Metaponto.
Recognition: Awarded National Best Practice in April 2026 by the Italian Ministry for Disabilities at EXPOAID 2026 in Rimini. Covered by ANSA.
La Bottega dei Diritti — The Rights Workshop
Target: migrant workers and families in the agricultural belt of Metaponto
Activities: work integration, legal counseling, anti-labor-trafficking (anti-caporalato) services, Italian language courses, housing orientation, school support for children, parenting workshops.
Locations: Policoro, Tursi, Rotondella and Nova Siri (MT) — where over 23,000 foreign nationals seek dignity and rights.
Portineria Sociale — The Social Concierge
Target: family caregivers of persons with disabilities or oncological patients
Activities: social assessment and orientation, individual and family psychological counseling, peer support groups, inclusive arts and theater workshops.
Funding: co-financed by the European Union through PR FESR FSE+ Basilicata 2021-2027. Partners: Enfor, ANFASS Policoro, Agata.
Porte Aperte — Open Doors
Target: migrants, youth, women in difficulty, persons with disabilities
Activities: multidisciplinary listening center with social worker, legal professional, and psychologist.
Location: Parish of the Good Shepherd, Policoro — every Monday 5pm-7pm + online via WhatsApp.
Funding: Fondazione Haiku Lugano (Switzerland).
DesTEENazione Policoro — Destinations for Teens
Target: at-risk adolescents and their families
Activities: street education, creative workshops, sports, study support, music, theater, street art, social media education.
Network: Lead Municipality of Policoro on behalf of all 17 Municipalities of the Metaponto-Materan Highlands District.
Telaio Sociale — The Social Loom
Target: persons with disabilities and migrants seeking dignity through work
Activity: social tailoring workshop producing ethical Italian-Made fashion accessories.
Vision: the first workshop of the Oasis of Dreams — where the act of weaving becomes the metaphor of weaving back the threads of a broken life.
National Recognition: EXPOAID 2026
EXPOAID is the largest national event in Italy dedicated to disability, the Third Sector, and inclusion. It is promoted directly by the Italian Ministry for Disabilities and held annually at the Palacongressi in Rimini.
At EXPOAID 2026, the Basilicata For All project — of which QÛM is a partner — was recognized as a National Best Practice for inclusive and sustainable tourism.
What This Recognition Means
In a country of 60 million people and thousands of organizations working in the social sector, the model we have built has been chosen as one of the few national examples to be replicated. It is the highest acknowledgment a small regional cooperative can receive in Italy.
Media Coverage
- ANSA — Italy's premier national news agency
- Avvenire — national Catholic newspaper
- Regional press: Basilicata Notizie, Materanews, SassiLive, AGR Basilicata
- Sector press: Vita.it, Redattore Sociale
For Donors and Partners
This recognition answers the most important question: "Is this organization trustworthy?"
The Italian Ministry has performed that due diligence on our behalf. QÛM is, by national institutional verification, a recognized best practice. You can trust us.
The Vision: Oasis of Dreams
Oasis of Dreams is QÛM's long-term vision: a constellation of six social workshops that, together, form a model of inclusive economy for Southern Italy.
The five active projects (described above) lay the groundwork. The six workshops are the destination.
The Six Workshops
- Telaio Sociale — Social Tailoring (first to launch)
- Social Agriculture
- Ethical Crafts
- Social B&B (boutique hospitality)
- Social Bar (locally sourced)
- Education & Events Space
The Approach
Territory: Policoro and Metaponto region (Basilicata)
Beneficiaries: persons with disabilities, migrants, women in difficulty, at-risk youth, people on alternative sentences
Method: each workshop combines training, paid internships and stable employment
Horizon: multi-year, phased development
A note on scope: Oasis of Dreams is a long-term vision. Each workshop will be defined in detail with its own business plan, budget and timeline, in dialogue with our donors and institutional partners. The pace of development depends on the resources we are able to mobilize together. We share specific plans on a project-by-project basis with serious supporters.
Why It Will Work
Because we are not starting from zero. We are starting from 6 years of operational experience, 5 active projects, National Best Practice recognition, partnerships with EU, Region, Diocese and Italian foundations, and verified financial growth (+55% in 3 years).
Oasis of Dreams is not a dream we are asking you to believe in. It is a direction we are already taking, one workshop at a time.
Why You? Why Now?
We believe that your story and ours are part of the same story.
Your ancestors left because there were no opportunities. They built a future in America with hard work and faith. They never forgot Italy. Many of them — and certainly their grandchildren — have always felt a quiet, persistent desire to give back to the land they came from, not as charity, but as a way of honoring the journey their family took.
This is what we offer you: a meaningful, transparent, verified, recognized way to do so.
Three Truths
How You Can Help — A Framework for Recognition
We believe in proportional recognition. Every gift, large or small, deserves dignified acknowledgment.
Note: The levels below are an indicative framework. The specific recognition elements (naming opportunities, plaques, visits, encounters with institutional partners) are defined directly with each donor in conversation with our Board of Directors, based on the gift, the donor's wishes, and the practical feasibility for QÛM at the time.
- Quarterly newsletter from QÛM
- Personal thank-you letter from the President
- Annual photo update from the field
- All Friend Level recognitions, plus:
- Name on the donor wall on our official website
- Inclusion in social media thank-you posts (with permission)
- Personal call from the President to thank you
- All Supporter Level recognitions, plus:
- Personalized quarterly report on QÛM's progress
- Invitation to a personalized visit of our centers in Basilicata
- Photo opportunity with beneficiaries (with consent)
- All Patron Level recognitions, plus:
- Permanent recognition in our offices (e.g., commemorative plaque) bearing your family name
- Personal letter of acknowledgment from QÛM's Board of Directors
- Possibility to associate your family name with a specific area within the Telaio Sociale workshop, subject to feasibility
- All Founder Level recognitions, plus:
- Opportunity to associate your family name with one of the future workshops of the Oasis of Dreams (e.g., "The [Family Name] Tailoring Workshop"), in agreement with QÛM's Board
- Permanent acknowledgment in QÛM's official materials
- Feature article dedicated to your family's story on our blog
- Invitation to a private dinner with the Board of Directors when visiting Italy
- All Visionary Level recognitions, plus:
- Opportunity to associate your family name with a major project or the broader Oasis of Dreams initiative, defined in dialogue with QÛM's Board
- A dedicated meeting in Italy with QÛM leadership and, when possible, with our institutional partners
- Formal acknowledgment in our annual Social Report
- Personalized exploration of planned giving or bequest options
Tax Benefits & Trust
🇺🇸 For U.S. Donors
We are currently in the process of establishing an American Friends Fund with Myriad USA (formerly KBFUS), a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity that serves as a fiscal sponsor for cross-border giving from the United States to Italian nonprofits.
Once active, this Fund will allow U.S. donors to make fully tax-deductible donations under Section 170 of the IRC and to direct grants to QÛM through Donor-Advised Funds (Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard).
In the meantime, U.S. donors can still support QÛM directly — please contact us to discuss the most appropriate giving structure for your situation and consult your tax advisor on cross-border deductibility.
🇮🇹 For Italian Donors
Donations to QÛM benefit from Article 83 of D.Lgs. 117/2017 (Third Sector Code):
- Individuals: 30% IRPEF deduction up to €30,000/year
- Companies: deduction up to 10% of total income
- 5x1000: our fiscal code is 01353670779
Our Promise to Donors
- Total transparency: every euro tracked, every result published.
- Concrete stories: you will know names, faces, futures.
- Stewardship: thank-you call within 7 days of any major gift.
- Site visit: an open door whenever you come to Basilicata.
- Long-term relationship: we are not raising money. We are building a community of supporters across the ocean.
What We Will Never Do
- Sell or share your contact information
- Send invasive solicitations
- Make claims we cannot document
- Use funds for purposes other than those agreed
- Forget your name
Your First Step
Reading this page was the first step. Thank you for taking it.
We do not ask anything of you today. We invite you, instead, to take a brief, no-obligation call with our President Daniele Costanza, at your convenience.
The call typically lasts 30 minutes. We will:
- Listen to your questions
- Share more about a specific project that interests you
- Explore whether and how a partnership might make sense for you and your family
If, after the call, you decide that QÛM aligns with your values and goals, we will work with you to design a partnership that fits your wishes, your timing, and your budget.
If, after the call, you decide that QÛM is not the right fit, we will thank you sincerely and not contact you again — unless you ask us to.
+39 379 351 7851
(Italian time, GMT+1)
Prefer to Give Directly?
If you prefer to make a donation without a preliminary conversation, here are your options:
🇺🇸 From the United States
A dedicated U.S. giving channel through our Myriad USA Friends Fund (501(c)(3) tax-deductible) is being set up.
In the meantime, U.S. supporters can give directly to QÛM via international wire transfer (see Italian IBAN), or contact us to discuss the most suitable structure for your gift.
🇮🇹 From Italy / SEPA
Beneficiary: Soc. Coop. Soc. QÛM Impresa Sociale
Bank: UniCredit S.p.A.
IBAN: IT25 A020 0880 4010 0010 5587 925
5x1000 code: 01353670779
Your Roots Are Here.
Our Opportunities Are Here.
Together we can build a future for those who remain in the land of our shared ancestors.
QÛM Social Enterprise · Operations in Policoro · Registered Office in Tursi (MT), Basilicata, Italy
Fiscal Code 01353670779 · RUNTS Reg. n. 5916
www.impresasocialequm.it