Roma thank fans for amazing response to Covid-19 GoFundMe campaign

The campaign, which launched on March 11, has today stopped receiving donations, as the focus in Italy shifts from a medical emergency to how the country safely returns to normal life.

Launched three weeks before Coronavirus fatalities in Italy peaked, the GoFundMe campaign was announced with an ambitious target of €500,000.

After an incredible response from supporters and followers all over the world, and topped up with donations from AS Roma itself, club president Jim Pallotta, club partner Generation Amazing, a number of former players and a sizable contribution from the players and coaching staff, who gave up a day’s salary, the target was reached within weeks.

In the end, a total of €544,836 was raised through the campaign.

Of that total, over €130,000 was contributed directly by supporters and followers.

Whether it was a €5 donation or a pledge of €3,000, as one former Roma player from France made, every single contribution was greatly appreciated and helped Roma Cares make a real difference during the crisis.

Already, with money raised through the GoFundMe campaign, the club were able to purchase three intensive care ventilators, five pulmonary ventilators for sub-intensive care and eight new intensive care beds.

Over 70,000 masks, 30,000 pairs of gloves and 11,000 bottles of hand sanitizing gel were also purchased and distributed to hospitals, the needy and other entities throughout Rome.

“On behalf of everyone at Roma, I must say thank you to everyone who helped us raise over half a million Euros on GoFundMe,” said Francesco Calvo, chief operating officer at AS Roma.

“The response to our campaign was absolutely amazing. When we launched the campaign, almost two months ago, it felt like we were in the eye of the storm and the immediate need was to help provide ventilators and beds to hospitals in Rome.

"Thanks to the donations from fans, we were able to deliver exactly what the hospitals needed and as the situation has developed, we have been guided by Civil Protection in how we used funds – with 32,000 masks being distributed this week throughout the city to help keep the public safe as the lockdown gradually lifts.”