YOU’RE INVITED TO OUR ‘PIZZA WITH A PURPOSE’ PARTY FRIDAY
Friends and supporters of Catholic Charities of Long Island know we’ve been promoting the Pizza with a Purpose campaign benefiting our Emergency Relief Fund for neighbors in need.
What better time than Lent to think of others? In keeping with the holy season, we have a special daylong event planned this Friday, April 4, at six Long Island pizzerias--one in Nassau County and five in Suffolk. Each shop is generously donating part of the proceeds from the day’s pizza sales to Catholic Charities of Long Island. Suggested gift is $5 per pie.
CCLI’s Parish Social Ministry team, led by director Paula Malloy, has organized Pizza with a Purpose and is ready for the big day. She’s hopeful the pizzerias sell a lot of pies, so the Emergency Relief Fund can help more people, including many who seek assistance at Catholic parishes on Long Island.
PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK
“The Emergency Relief Fund helps people who fall through the cracks,” Malloy said. “They might not be eligible for other types of assistance. The fund can prevent them from becoming homeless, or house them if they have become homeless.”
“More people are living paycheck to paycheck, just squeezing by,” she said, and an unexpected car repair for $2,000 can carry them over the financial edge. In that case, an application to ERF could pay one month’s rent and free the person to deal with the car bill.
Help provided by ERF can bring “hope in a time of hopelessness,” and show that someone cares and is walking with them, Malloy said.
Unfortunately, needs frequently outnumber gifts, at times putting Malloy in the unenviable position of saying no for lack of funds when someone is facing a crisis. Through their sales, she hopes the pizzerias raise money for and awareness of ERF on April 4. Donations for ERF go directly to help clients, Malloy said.
SLICES OF SUPPORT
Here are a couple popular and delicious selections to try at each participating pizzeria, bearing in mind that Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent.
Linda’s Riverside Pizzeria & Café, 100 Riviera Drive, Kings Park, (631) 780-6100
Eggplant parmigiana with cauliflower crust and upside-down Sicilian, with cheese on the bottom
Gino’s of Kings Park Pizzeria & Restaurant, 52 Indian Head Road, (631) 269-2880
Focaccia, with mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and roasted red peppers, and vegetarian, with broccoli, spinach, roasted peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella and tomato sauce
Three Sons Pizza Kitchen, 623 East Main Street, Kings Park, (631) 724-0058
Crispino, with mozzarella, roasted red peppers, garlic, basil and balsamic, and white pizza with broccoli
O Sole Mio, 2194 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook, (631) 751-1600
White pizza with spinach and penne alla vodka pizza
Parisi’s Pizza & Pasta, 183 Merrick Road, Amityville, (613) 837-2428
Large cheese pizza and shrimp pesto slices
Rosario’s, 2140 Jackson Avenue, Seaford, (516) 874-2058
Baked ziti pizza and broccoli and tomato pizza
We certainly can’t forget our seventh pizzeria, Leonardo’s Pizza, 20 Broadway, Massapequa, where owners and staff are dedicating Wednesdays during Lent to the Pizza with a Purpose fundraiser.
If a generous reader wants to match the overall gift from all seven pizzerias, up to $5,000, or give a donation of any amount, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact
The caring community supporting Catholic Charities of Long Island always welcomes new members. May God bless you for remembering those that CCLI’s Emergency Relief Fund assists.