If you’ve visited Rome, you’ve probably thrown a coin into the famed Trevi fountain. The ritual is supposed to guarantee the visitor’s return to the Eternal City.
Each year, over €1 million (around €3,000 of loose change per day) ends up in the water of the spectacular 18th century monument. But where does all this money go?
For over a decade, the windfall - collected by a dedicated team every few months - has been contributing to a very good cause.
In 2001, the mayor decided that the money should be collected for a local charity to put a stop to the frequent attempts by people to steal coins from the fountain. Since then, the loose change that ends up in the fountain has been donated each year to charity Caritas. The group uses the money to help the city’s poor and needy. It funds soup kitchens, homeless shelters, free supermarkets and other projects.
Source: EuroNews
