Italian Charities of America has served as a cultural anchor and gathering place for Italian-Americans for nine decades, preserving stories of immigration, discrimination and resilience while creating space for music, language and celebration.
Headquartered in its distinctive Queens Boulevard building in Elmhurst, the nonprofit is marking its milestone 90th anniversary by reflecting on nearly a century of service and looking ahead to the next generation.
Founded in 1936, the organization was originally created to support newly arrived Italian immigrants, many of whom spoke little English and faced discrimination. The group operated out of Kew Gardens before securing its space in Elmhurst in 1951.
Generoso Pope, the Italian-American newspaper publisher and philanthropist, was one of the group's founders and helped it establish permanent roots.
“He was actually instrumental in assisting the organization with donations, and also assisted us in purchasing the land in 1951 to build our building,†Domenic Gampino, who has served as president since 2018 after joining the Italian Charities board more than two decades ago, told the Chronicle.
“We feel honored that the original founders had the foresight to start this organization,†Gampino said. “We've been able to continue it to promote and preserve Italian American culture, heritage, history, pride and languages.â€
Over the years, the organization's mission has expanded beyond its beginnings.
Italian Charities hosts concerts, lectures, dances, scholarship dinners, cultural panels and language classes that attract visitors from across New York City and beyond.
Gampino said one of the nonprofit's biggest accomplishments has been broadening its reach while staying rooted in Queens.
“Even though you might not be of Italian heritage, the reason you're here is because there's something about Italian culture or heritage that resonates with you,†he said of the crowds attending events at the organization's headquarters.
The nonprofit also has leaned into virtual programming since the pandemic, drawing attendees from across the country — and even overseas — to online language and cultural courses. Among its most distinctive offerings are Sicilian and Neapolitan language classes, programs Gampino said are rare even in Italy itself. The courses focus on preserving regional languages often dismissed as mere dialects.
“We're the first organization to actually have a formal Sicilian language course in modern times,†Gampino said. “We're adding to a renaissance of the regional languages.â€
The organization also offers an Italian-American studies program examining immigration history, discrimination and assimilation.
Topics include the 1891 lynching of Italians in New Orleans, the internment of Italian immigrants during World War II and the cultural pressures many families faced to abandon their native languages.
“We try to keep our history alive so that future generations know the difficulties that their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents experienced,†Gampino said.
Italian Charities has also maintained a longstanding commitment to education through its scholarship program.
Each year, the nonprofit awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors entering college, an effort Gampino said is meant to encourage younger generations to stay connected to both their education and heritage.
“We try to encourage Italian Americans while they continue their education, and hopefully we'll pass on the pride of being Italian-American in the future,†Gampino said.
Music has also become a major part of the organization's cultural programming, with Italian Charities regularly hosting packed concerts and performances featuring Italian, Italian-American and regional music.
From holiday concerts to performances blending English, Italian and Sicilian songs, the events draw audiences from across New York City and neighboring states.
“People are just enjoying it,†Gampino said. “We always get new people.â€
For Gampino, the work is personal.
Born in New York to Sicilian immigrant parents, he spent six years in Sicily as a child, where he immersed himself in Italian language and culture before returning to Queens. Later, he discovered books detailing the Italian-American immigrant experience — stories he said were largely absent from school curricula.
“That kind of gave me a sense of what it means to be Italian American,†he said.
Beyond its cultural programming, Italian Charities also continues the philanthropic mission reflected in its name. The organization regularly provides donations and other assistance to charitable groups both in New York City and beyond, while also hosting fundraisers and community events at its Elmhurst headquarters.
“Our motto, ‘Carita per tutti,' means ‘Charity for all,'†Gampino said. “We can't help everybody in the world, but we do our best to assist.â€
Italian Charities will commemorate its milestone year with its 90th annual gala dinner dance on Oct. 25 at Roma View in Howard Beach, honoring Italian-Americans who have contributed to preserving Italian culture and heritage.
For more information on upcoming events or classes, one may visit the nonprofit's website at italiancharities.org.
As the organization looks toward its centennial, Gampino said attendance and community support continue validating the work started 90 years ago.
“It encourages us to continue and come up with greater ideas,†he said.
