Neighborhood Houses: the AMIS project expands to promote social connections and healthy lifestyles
20 June 2025
Following the success of its initial pilot phase, the AMIS project – “Activities and Movement Together for Health” – has been extended through the autumn and further strengthened. The initiative was launched to promote active aging by addressing physical decline, social isolation, and unhealthy lifestyle habits among older adults.
The program is currently active in four Neighborhood Hubs (Case di Quartiere) across the City of Milan: “Feltre” – Sorriso APS in District 3, “Caio Mario” – Carlo Poma APS in District 7, “Appennini” – Porta del Cuore APS in District 8, “Val di Bondo” – Sempreverdi APS in District 9
Each week, for two hours, young exercise science graduates lead free, guided activities for the ‘amis’ (meaning “friends” in Milanese dialect), many of whom are over 80 years old. Activities include: a muscle activation walk, a targeted exercise session focused on strength and balance, a healthy snack break to encourage nutritious food choices, and short “wellness talks” discussing the four pillars of healthy living: movement, nutrition, mental well-being, and sleep. The initiative goes beyond physical health, placing a strong emphasis on social interaction and relationship-building. Because health also comes from connection, good habits, and a sense of community.
To date, over 120 participants aged 65 to 94 have joined the project since its launch in March. Thanks to their enthusiasm, the outcomes achieved, and careful resource management, the project will now continue into the autumn months.
AMIS is the result of a collaboration between the Wellness Foundation and the City of Milan, with support from the Fondazione di Comunità Milano.
On Thursday, June 19, participants and organizers gathered at Sala Alessi in Palazzo Marino, Milan’s City Hall, to reflect on the progress of the initiative and explore future developments.
Speakers included: Lamberto Bertolé, Milan’s Councillor for Welfare and Health, Federica Alberti, Director of Wellness Foundation, Francesco Caroli, Policy Advisor, City of Milan, Francesco Scarpat, Head of Social Programs, Fondazione di Comunità Milano e Antonio Rossi, City Operations Manager, Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026
“Following the enthusiastic response over the past few months, we are proud to expand the scope of the AMIS project, which has achieved the dual goal of fostering both social interaction and healthy lifestyles, while also helping to establish the Neighborhood Hubs as key reference points for residents across Milan’s districts. We are committed to ensuring a continued high-quality offering in these strategic community spaces, by strengthening valuable partnerships with organizations such as the Wellness Foundation and Fondazione di Comunità Milano.” – Lamberto Bertolé, Councillor for Welfare and Health, City of Milan
“We launched an initiative like AMIS to highlight the importance of regular physical activity, healthy eating, and social connections in supporting healthy longevity—even in later life,” said Nerio Alessandri, Founder and President of the Wellness Foundation and Technogym. “Our social commitment is rooted in the desire to spark a cultural shift: taking care of people while they are still healthy, to prevent illness before it begins. The enthusiasm we’ve seen over these past months, along with the growing public-private partnership behind the project, further strengthens my belief that an initiative like Milano Wellness City 2030 can truly help spread a new culture of prevention and healthy living—for the benefit of all.” – Nerio Alessandri, Founder, Wellness Foundation
“Fondazione di Comunità Milano has identified the demographic winter as one of the key challenges in its 2023–2026 strategic plan. We began our efforts with a pilot project in District 9—the area with the highest number of people over 75 living alone. AMIS, which we supported through our Call for Proposals No. 57, has successfully engaged older adults even in that part of the city. We hope that new donors will join us in supporting AMIS, so it can continue its much-needed work in promoting well-being among the Silver Age population” – Carlo Marchetti, President, Fondazione di Comunità Milano
