In a partnership with Slice Out Hunger, several of Longmont, Colorado’s pizza community leaders are turning slices into support for neighbors in need.
A new Colorado nonprofit, Pizza With Purpose, has been launched by Paul Nashak and Nick Swanson, co-founders of Urban Field Pizza & Market, in partnership with Rosalee’s Pizzeria and Antonio’s Real New York Pizza. The initiative brings together Longmont’s Main Street pizzerias and hospitality community to raise funds for hunger-relief organizations following the recent loss of government support for food-insecure families, according to a press release.
The nonprofit officially launches on National Pizza Day, February 9, with a weeklong giveback campaign. From February 9 through 15, the participating restaurants will donate $1 from every cheese or pepperoni pizza sold to Slice Out Hunger, a national nonprofit that mobilizes the pizza community to fight food insecurity through events, partnerships and food donations across the country.
Pizza With Purpose’s marquee event will be the Colorado Pizza Festival, scheduled for Saturday, September 5, in downtown Longmont. The festival will feature more than 20 pizzerias from across Colorado, plus Longmont breweries, live music, kids’ activities, amateur competitions, and a playful “Pizza Olympics.” Proceeds will benefit organizations working to end food insecurity in Colorado. Tickets go on sale May 1.
Organizers describe the festival as both a celebration of Colorado’s diverse pizza styles and a “large-scale international pizza competition” designed to draw attention—and dollars—to hunger-relief efforts.
The participating restaurants each bring distinct styles and local followings to the collaboration. Urban Field Pizza & Market, located at 150 Main Street, is known for chef-driven Detroit- and New York-inspired pies and locally sourced ingredients. Antonio’s Real New York Pizza, at 325 Main Street, serves Sicilian, Grandma and classic thin-crust pies alongside other regional styles, such as Detroit, Neapolitan and Chicago. Rosalee’s Pizzeria, at 461 Main Street, offers East Coast-style pizzas, lunch slices and house-made specialties in a neighborhood setting.
By uniting under the Pizza With Purpose banner, the owners say they hope to create year-round momentum for hunger relief while strengthening Longmont’s restaurant community.
Slice Out Hunger, the beneficiary of the launch-week promotion, has organized pizza-focused hunger campaigns nationwide, including Pizza Across America and Pie It Forward meal deliveries, connecting pizzerias, volunteers and communities to feed neighbors in need.
