Restaurants Pledge Free Food as Nearly 42 Million Americans Await Return of Assistance Program

From Kansas to Colorado and beyond, independently owned pizzerias are stepping in to fill the gap left when the federal government shutdown paused payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) Program. SNAP provides cards and vouchers that allow low- and no-income families to purchase food. About 42 million Americans rely on the program to eat: 39% of those are children, 20% are elderly and 10% are disabled, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

As Pizza Today revealed during National Pizza Month, the country’s pizzerias often are first to act during community crises, and responding to the stalled SNAP benefits is no exception.

Riccardo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant

Browns Mills, New Jersey

Vito Russo, chef and owner of Riccardo’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant, pledged last week that the family-owned business would feed those who would go hungry without federal assistance.

“If you’re struggling right now, don’t struggle alone,” says Russo, whose family started Riccardo’s in 1974. “You’re not a burden. You’re not an inconvenience. You are family here.”

Ahead of Veteran’s Day, Russo took his offer one step further: He is offering pizza to members of the military who are not being paid during the government shutdown.

“We’ve been here for 52 years because this community has supported us,” Russo says through a Facebook post. “Now it’s our turn to support you.”

The gesture has caught the attention of local print and broadcast media – as well as members of the community who want to help. “Over these past days, many people have reached out, donated and quietly helped support this cause,” Russo says. “We appreciate every single donation – big or small. Your kindness is being paid forward directly to families who need it most. Thank you for standing with us.”

Krazy Karl’s Pizza

Fort Collins and Loveland, Colorado

Krazy Karl’s Pizza already was donating individual pizzas to recipients of SNAP benefits, and according to the Loveland Reporter-Herald, the two-location pizzeria is expanding is efforts to include federal workers who are not getting paid because of the government shutdown started Oct. 1.

Krazy Karl’s initially covered the cost of the pizzas, but when members of the community wanted to help, pizzeria owner Nate Haas started a Go Fund Me petition to expand the program to assist even more neighbors who are struggling.

“Any contribution – big or small – goes directly toward purchasing ingredients and pizzas for those in need,” according to the donation site. “Once the shutdown and related hardships ease, any remaining funds will be donated to a local food bank to keep the support flowing where it’s needed most.”

D’Mario’s Pizza

Harper, Kansas

Restaurant owner Coleman Teel is now on his eighth day of offering pizza to the hungry. The program first was targeted at families who rely on SNAP benefits to eat, but incredible community response has allowed D’Mario’s to expand who it is serving.

“It is really because of the support of this community. We just keep getting donations,” he says of the storefront. “I don’t even have words for it anymore. I have run out of ways to say thank you.”

Teel says the donations and social media attention have made it possible to do “a whole lot more” than he ever believed possible. “This is a little bitty restaurant in a little bitty town in a little bitty county in south-central Kansas. “

Lelulo’s Pizzeria

Plum Borough, Pennsylvania

For several weeks, Lelulo’s Pizzeria owner Patyn McCune has closed the shop for a few hours at a time to allow those with EBT cards (the payment commonly used to pay with SNAP benefits) or proof of loss of income to drop by for pantry essentials such as cereal, granola bars, peanut butter and jelly as well as fruit and milk at her storefront.

In addition to the makeshift food pantry, McCune has offered baby formula, diapers and baby food to members of the community who are struggling and also pledged to be open for a buffet-style Thanksgiving meal.

The pizzeria owner has used her Facebook page to show ways to make meals with food from the food pantry and was able to offer 60 reheat-and-eat meals after Halloween.

“As someone who relied HEAVILY on this as a child, this is important to me,” McCune says in a Facebook post. “Kids will be first on the priority list. … If any organizations would like to donate to help, please reach out to me. I would love to collect household needed items/food for those who need it as well as what I’m doing.”

Peace of Pie Pizzeria

Altavista, Virginia

This pizzeria launched the No Hungry Neighbors project to help families impacted by the government shutdown. Visitors who ask for the family meal receive a pasta dish and salad to serve at home.

Co-owner Breezy Peterson tells ABC affiliate WSET, “You would think that no one would slip through the cracks, but people do all the time.”

In fact, the pizzeria ran out of prepared meals on the first day it offered the take-home food. Since then, the pizzeria’s suppliers have been donating along with members of the community so that Peace of Pie can increase the number of meals it is able to offer.

Sergio’s Pizza

Malta, New York

Children whose families receive SNAP benefits can get a personal pizza on Mondays and Thursdays for dine-in or take-out at Sergio’s Pizza. The cause is personal for pizzeria owner Tyler Dunleavy, who tells CBS 6 that he grew up on receiving government benefits.

“A lot of people rely on those benefits and need them to survive,” he tells the TV station, adding that the response has been “heartwarming.”

This is by no means an exhaustive list of every U.S. pizzeria helping feed its community during the federal shutdown. Some other locations we heard about include:

V Pizza

Cary and BrierCreek, North Carolina

Restaurateur Anthony Rapillo is offering free meals once per week at his four North Carolina restaurants, including V Pizza in Cary and BrierCreek.

Wooden Paddle

Lemont and La Grange, Illinois

Wooden Paddle’s locations in Southwest Chicago are offering free lunch this month to individuals who lost their SNAP benefits.

New York Pizzeria Restaurant

Trotwood, Ohio

The New York Pizzeria Restaurant is offering individual one-topping pizzas to children under 18 and seniors age 60 and up who can show a SNAP benefit card. The dine-in offer is expanded on weekends to include a meal of hot dog and fries for kids.

Roman Gourmet

Maplewood, New Jersey

Vinny LaFredo, owner of The Roman Gourmet, is offering two slices and a soda to anyone with a SNAP benefits card. “No one will go hungry here,” he says.

Bravo Pizza

Belvidere, Illinois

SNAP recipients can get one 10-inch cheese pizza, spaghetti or Mostaccioli with the purchase of a large, one-topping pizza. Manager Alyssa Morgan told NBC station WREX they wanted to help the community “stretch a dollar a little bit further.”

Juanito’s Pizza

Beloit, Wisconsin

The pizzeria is offering free cheese pizzas to families on SNAP who have children under age 12.

Pizza King

Plainfield, Indiana

This month, the Plainfield Pizza King location will offer those with a SNAP card a free meal on Tuesdays.

Little Beast Cafe & Bistro

District of Columbia

Aaron Gordon, co-owner of Little Beast, tells DC News Now that SNAP recipients can get free pizza. “We’ll make large pizzas for any family that’s in need,” he says.

Giovanni’s Pizza

Marysville, Ohio

Through Nov. 15, Giovanni’s Pizza will offer an 8-inch one-topping pizza to children ages 17 and under, according to NBC4 Columbus. Owner Cindy Curry tells the station she knows how it can be scary to be unsure where your next meal is coming from.