Adopt an Angel Statute

Ce.R.S. Volunteer Association, Research and Study Center A.P.S.

The Statute

It is not so much what we do, but how much love we put into doing it. It is not so much what we give, but how much love we put into giving.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta


STATUTE
“Ce.R.S. - Research and Study Center - Volunteer Association, Non-profit Social Utility Organization”
TITLE I - NATURE AND PURPOSES
Art. 1 - NAME
The "Research and Study Center - Volunteer Association, Non-profit Social Utility Organization" is established, hereinafter referred to as "Ce.R.S. - ONLUS"
Art. 2 - HEADQUARTERS The Research and Study Center is legally based in Rome, currently at Piazza Adriana, 4 - 00193 Rome. Art.3 - NATURE The "Ce.R.S. - onlus" is a freely constituted, non-profit association, with a national and/or international character that engages in volunteer and research activities in the health, social, and environmental fields. Art.4 - PURPOSES The association exclusively pursues social solidarity purposes in the field of healthcare and aims to:
  1. promote research and studies in the health, pharmaceutical, social, and environmental fields;
  2. promote and organize conferences, congresses, round tables, training, and refresher courses;
  3. promote meetings and exchanges of experiences with other similar associations or organizations;
  4. organize and participate in meetings with political and social forces;
  5. ensure the maintenance and recovery of the individual's physical and mental health, independently through its own facilities or through agreements with public or private facilities;
  6. improve the understanding of health and social issues related to the elderly, providing support and assistance to the elderly;
  7. prevent physical and mental ailments through specific health education using all means provided by this statute;
  8. improve the understanding of health and social issues of the disabled, providing support and assistance to people with disabilities;
  9. promote private mutual assistance to integrate public healthcare assistance to improve quality levels and choice possibilities;
  10. conduct investigations, studies, and scientific research and activities that allow the development of its own intervention strategies, as well as monitor the implementation and evaluate the results to keep assistance levels in line with scientific evolution and medical progress;
  11. submit applications to Public and Private Entities to obtain sponsorships in money and contributions, financing, loans, and other benefits provided by national or regional and/or community laws upon presentation of programs, initiatives, and projects or to support the overall social activity, or for the purchase and sale of movable and immovable property for social purposes;
  12. decentralize initiatives also at the regional, provincial, and municipal levels through the establishment of regional and/or provincial and/or municipal sections with the same institutional purposes of the associations and whose activities are regulated by specific regulations;
  13. use all current and future communication means to promote and disseminate its purposes;
  14. oversee the publication of texts, articles, newspapers, radio, television, and audiovisual programs aimed at the association's purposes;
  15. use self-financing, voluntary contributions from Public and Private Entities, bequests, donations from individuals, companies, or associations.
The association cannot engage in activities other than those indicated except for those directly connected to them or those accessory by nature to the statutory ones as they are integrative of the same. TITLE II – MEMBERS Art.5 - COMMON PROVISIONS Italian or foreign citizens may join the association, with the prescriptions provided by the association's regulations. Entities, Associations, Foundations, and legal persons in general may join. Participation in the association is indefinite and cannot be arranged for a temporary period. Membership in the association entails for the member the right to vote in the assembly for the approval and modifications of the statute and regulations for the appointment of the association's governing bodies. Members are obliged to observe the statutory rules and internal regulations decided by the Council and, likewise, to pay the annual fee set by the Council for each category of members within the deadlines established by the Council itself. Art.6 - CATEGORIES Members are divided into:
  1. a) ordinary members;
  2. b) honorary members;
  3. c) supporting members.
Art.7 - ORDINARY MEMBERS Ordinary members are the founding members and all those who, upon their request and after paying the membership fee, obtain the favorable opinion of the National Secretariat. Art.8 - HONORARY MEMBERS These are personalities so named by the National Secretariat for particular professional or humanitarian merits. Art.9 - SUPPORTING MEMBERS These are those who pay a membership fee at least three times the amount set by the Council. Art.10 - LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP Membership is lost due to death, withdrawal, or resignation. A member may withdraw from the association at any time by giving notice by registered letter with return receipt to be sent to the National Secretariat. Membership is also lost:
  1. for behavior contrary to the principles of the association;
  2. for non-payment of dues;
  3. for three consecutive unjustified absences.
The loss or exclusion of a member is decided by the National Secretariat. Members who have withdrawn or been excluded or declared lapsed or who have otherwise ceased to belong to the association cannot reclaim the contributions paid, nor claim any rights on the association's assets. Membership fees are non-transferable by act between living persons, nor by particular succession nor by universal succession and are not revalued. TITLE III - ASSOCIATION BODIES Art.11 - DEFINITION The association's bodies are:
  1. a) the National Council;
  2. b) the National Secretariat;
  3. c) the Members' Assembly;
  4. d) the Board of Auditors;
  5. e) the Board of Arbitrators.
Art.12 - NATIONAL COUNCIL The National Council is the deliberative and representative body of the association. It is composed of the National Secretariat and six Members, subsequently elected by the members' assembly. The National Council meets normally once a year. The Council decides on any assembly or congress regulations. Its decisions are made by a simple majority; in the event of a tie, the vote of the National Secretary decides. In the event of resignation or loss of one or more councilors, the first in the ranking of non-elected members take over; if it is impossible to implement this procedure, the Council remains in office until the next election. The tasks of the National Council are:
  1. a) to set the lines for the implementation of the national congress resolution;
  2. b) to promote any initiative aimed at achieving the association's purposes;
  3. c) to delegate for the fulfillment of particular tasks under the supervision of the Council itself, individual members and commissions created by it;
  4. d) to manage the association's assets;
  5. e) to appoint the political director of the association's Official Press body, as well as the appointment of the National Secretary and the members of the secretariat.
Art.13 - THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT The National Secretariat is the executive body of the association and is accountable for its actions to the National Council. Its tasks are:
  1. a) to ensure the execution of the National Council's resolutions;
  2. b) to regulate the association's expenses and decide on extraordinary ones;
  3. c) to coordinate the current activities of the association at all levels, with the power to appoint any collaborators. The National Secretariat decides by a simple majority of its members.
In the event of a tie, the vote of the National Secretary decides. Its meetings are valid with the presence of at least four members. The National Secretariat is composed of:
  1. the National Secretary, the legal representative of the association - elective member;
  2. two National Vice Secretaries - elective members;
  3. the Organizational Secretary - elective member;
  4. the Secretary for Scientific Activity - elective member;
  5. the Secretary for Press and Public Relations - elective member;
  6. the Secretary for Economic Affairs - elective member.
Art.14 - ASSEMBLIES All members in good standing with the payment of the association's annual fee have the right to attend the assembly. Members may be represented by other members provided that the latter do not hold social positions. The assembly is chaired by the National Secretary and in his absence by one of the two National Vice Secretaries. The ordinary assembly is convened at least once a year, by December 31 for social obligations and to deliberate on the budget or financial statement. Every three years as a rule or earlier if requested by at least 2/3 of the members, the assembly is convened in congress form to elect:
  1. a) National Council;
  2. b) Board of Auditors;
  3. c) Board of Arbitrators.
In the first call, both the ordinary and extraordinary assembly is validly constituted if at least 50% plus one of the members are represented; in the second call if at least 1/3 of the members are represented. The agenda of the assembly is set by the National Secretary, who convenes and presides over it. The extraordinary assembly decides on amendments to the statute of the founding act with the favorable vote of the majority of those present. Art.15 - BOARD OF AUDITORS It is composed of three full members and two alternates elected by the assembly. They may also not be members of the association. The Board reviews the budgets, its national activities, and exercises administrative accounting advice on the activities carried out by the association. Art.16 - THE BOARD OF ARBITRATORS It is composed of three full members and two alternates elected by the assembly. The Board of Arbitrators intervenes at the request of the National Council regarding issues related to the behavior of members and to resolve any disputes between the members themselves. Art.17 - GRATUITY OF SOCIAL POSITIONS The work performed by those holding social positions is entirely free of charge, however, an eventual allowance may be paid as reimbursement of expenses and/or collaboration. The association may also use regularly paid external professional services. Art.18 - FINANCIAL YEAR The financial year runs from January 1 to December 31 of each year. The Entity annually prepares the budget or a financial statement to be submitted for the assembly's deliberation. TITLE IV – ORGANIZATION Art.19 - DURATION OF THE ASSOCIATION It has an unlimited duration. It may be dissolved by resolution of the extraordinary assembly of members if at least 4/5 of them are represented in the first call and by a simple majority of members in the second call. Art.20 - DURATION OF ASSOCIATIVE POSITIONS Associative positions are renewed every three years in the manner provided by the association's regulations. Art.21 - MANAGEMENT SURPLUSES The association is prohibited from distributing even indirectly profits or management surpluses, however denominated, as well as funds, reserves, or capital, during the life of the association itself unless the destination and distribution are imposed by law or are made in favor of other non-profit social utility organizations (ONLUS) that by law, statute, or regulation are part of the same and unitary structure. The association is obliged to use the profits or management surpluses for the realization of institutional activities or those directly connected to them. Art.22 - DISSOLUTION The dissolution of the association is decided pursuant to art.19 by the assembly which will appoint one or more liquidators and decide on the allocation of the assets. In case of dissolution, for any reason, the association is obliged to allocate its assets to other non-profit social utility organizations (ONLUS) or for public utility purposes, after consulting the supervisory body referred to in art.3 paragraph 190 of law December 23, 1996 n.662 unless a different destination is imposed by law. Art.23 - APPLICABLE RULES For matters not provided for by this statute or the association's regulations, the provisions established by the Civil Code regarding ONLUS associations apply. Art.24 - LEGAL DISPUTES Any dispute that may arise between members, which has not found a solution within the Board of Arbitrators or another National Body, will be referred to the judgment of three friendly arbitrators, two of whom are appointed by each of the parties and the third by agreement between them or, failing that, by the President of the Court of Rome. The arbitrators will judge pro bono et aequo without the need for particular procedural rules, and their judgment will be final.