CasaOz is a place that welcomes and supports children and families asthey face the challenges of illness and disability.
It aims to be both a home and a family for as long as necessary and offers concrete and pragmatic support at a time when it is needed most.
At CasaOz every child can play, learn and get creative with the support of professional educators and volunteers who help them establish an everyday life that cares. For parents and families it offers information and resources on how best to deal with issues and problems
CasaOz Onlus Association was founded in 2005 by a group of people from Turin who realised, firsthand, the difficult situation faced by families suddenly confronted with the illness or disability of a child. In 2007 the association began to operate in a space given in concession by the City of Turin at the Olympic Village. In 2010 CasaOz moved to its new headquarters in Corso Moncalieri 262, built with the contribution of energy provider Enel Cuore and with the generous collaboration of a number of institutions, companies, foundations and individuals, on land given in concession by the City of Turin.
When a family is confronted with the illness or disability of a child, the day-to-day routine is shattered, the sense of normality lost. CasaOz provides a space and a range of services which help to create an everyday life that cares, a space where they can feel at home for as long as needed.
Just like home, CasaOz has brightly coloured rooms filled with toys and books which provide a light and stimulating environment in which its professional staff and volunteers offer children educational, creative and sporting activities to facilitate integration, social interaction and a sense of wellbeing. At CasaOz, everything is focused on what a child can do and not what they can’t do. CasaOz is also a place of concrete support for families.
It offers resources and support on how best to deal with issues and problems. Parents can find a friendly face for a coffee, a chat, or a lunch together. And just like home there is a laundry room, a shower and a room for those on a short break away from the hospital
CasaOz provides support to more than 500 people every year. Our unique range of services give sick and disabled children the opportunity to participate in activities and sports they otherwise would not be able to access.
Sharing the house and its games and being with other children plays a vital role in the healing process. For many, CasaOz is a lifeline.
In the story The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum describes Dorothy's journey through unknown lands and colours, meeting mysterious animals and characters. This journey is, for all at CasaOz, a metaphor for illness and disability in which a huge range of feelings and emotions alternate. From the disorientation that begins with the diagnosis, to the determination to overcome the difficulties, CasaOz strives to find a new daily life that allows children and their families to face the future better: this, for CasaOz, is the happy ending!
Four mini-apartments have been built inside CasaOz for those families coming from outside Turin for their children’s treatment. The mini apartments are offered at no cost to the families who need them most.
The 35m2 fully furnished mini-apartments are arranged for 3+1 beds, with a kitchenette, bathroom and living room. During the day, families staying in the Residences can take advantage of the spaces and services that CasaOz offers.
To give our guests the maximum flexibility the residences are served by an external, independent entrance so they can come and go as necessary.
Every donation can make a difference, including yours.
Supporting CasaOz means accompanying children and young people through a difficult time, being close to a mum and dad giving them a sign of hope, making them feel less alone.
Choose to support CasaOz, your help is important now more than ever!
Donate now