Beloved Toronto Italian cultural organization celebrates 50 years Villa Charities Inc. honours half a century of supporting the Italian community and advancing the appreciation and promotion of Italian culture April 12, 2021 10:00 ET | Source: Villa Charities Villa Charities Toronto, CANADA TORONTO, April 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This week, the Italian-Canadian community across the GTA celebrates the 50 th year of their beloved cultural hub – Villa Charities Inc. (VCI). Since 1971, VCI has been instrumental in connecting lives through intergenerational experiences and services that honour and celebrate all things Italian. The organization began as the Italian Canadian Benevolent Corporation (ICBC) with a mission to raise funds for and develop, administer and coordinate projects in the health, social, cultural and educational fields, which would establish the concept of ‘community’ for Italian-Canadians and their families.