They were remarkably kind at Terra Gaia Cooperative: "Since you're meant to arrive at 2 p.m. as we arranged, you'd have to skip a meal. Come a bit earlier and eat with us instead—we cook well!" I was pleased. Not just because the food sounded good, but because it seemed the best way to meet everyone and avoid the stiffness of a formal tour. So I drove through the Milan ring roads toward Gessate.
A person dressed as a chef welcomed me—naturally—and began answering my questions with genuine enthusiasm, showing me the photos displayed in the entrance.
Later, at the table, the atmosphere was convivial and warm. The welcome was genuine.
The Cooperative was founded in 1989 to help people with disabilities find work in settings where employment in a traditional workplace would be extremely difficult. Three friends who loved cooking started small, working out of a modest space in Gorgonzola. In 2000 they opened this modern, well-equipped warehouse, purchased with partial funding from the Fondazione Cariplo.
As of 2003, seven people work here, including three disabled people as cooks. In September they planned to hire two more staff for a new self-service restaurant upstairs. They have debts to pay, but they believe they can capitalize on their moment. They're highly competitive and can diversify their services—school cafeterias, catering for exclusive weddings—all while maintaining excellent quality at fair prices.
I was chiefly interested in the work opportunities they offer people with psychological or physical disabilities. They explained that theirs is a labor cooperative. It must generate income and operates under the same economic constraints as any business. Staff need a good degree of independence, because when you work, you work. The type of disability matters less than its severity.
They primarily accept people referred by the SIL—the local health authority's job placement service. For applicants, the SIL arranges an initial meeting to assess abilities and goals, followed by a series of internships at cooperatives like this one (many exist across Lombardy). During this phase, interns receive a work stipend and are supported by SIL psychologists who track progress and suggest strategies to overcome obstacles. The program gradually moves people into less sheltered work settings. By the end, they're ready for employment in a standard workplace.
Currently, the waiters in the catering service are nearly all volunteers. It would be welcome if the new self-service could create positions for people with more significant disabilities.
Elisabetta de Rino, 2003
We attempted to contact Terra Gaia Cooperative in January 2023 without success. If you have information about the cooperative, we would welcome updates to this article.
