By Brian Hernandez
When Pizza Across America returned this February, members of PMQ’s U.S. Pizza Team joined hundreds of independent pizzerias participating in Slice Out Hunger’s nationwide initiative, delivering pizzas to shelters, food banks and community organizations during the week surrounding National Pizza Day.
According to Erin Ruszaj of Slice Out Hunger, a total of 284 pizzerias in 48 states registered to take part in Pizza Across America this year. In total, the project sent 5,324 pizzas to 223 different hunger relief organizations and fed a total of 18,470 people, a 28% increase over last year.
What began years ago as a simple call to action—encouraging pizzerias to donate at least 10 pizzas to a local nonprofit—has evolved into a coast-to-coast effort that highlights the generosity and community focus that have long defined the independent pizza industry.
“We were overwhelmed to see so many pizza shops go above and beyond our expectations,” Ruszaj told PMQ. “Mike Sweetman of Extra Innings Paninos & Pizza (Marshall, Minnesota) did a particularly amazing job of rallying his community to support their neighbors in need. He kicked off a ‘Slice of Kindness’ campaign with his customers back in November in anticipation of doing a huge delivery for Pizza Across America.” That campaign resulted in 510 pies going to the United Community Action Partnership’s Kitchen Table initiative late January & early February, she said.
For many USPT members, participating in Pizza Across America felt like a natural extension of the values that brought them into the organization in the first place. While the team is widely recognized for culinary innovation, international competitions and the camaraderie shared among its members, the event served as a reminder that the pizza community is also built on a deep commitment to supporting the neighborhoods that support them.
Throughout the week, team members coordinated donations with local shelters, food pantries and outreach organizations, reinforcing the idea that something as simple as a hot pizza can provide comfort, connection and a moment of normalcy for people facing difficult circumstances.
USPT members participating in this year’s Pizza Across America initiative, representing Bella Napoli Pizzeria & Restaurant in Port Charlotte, Florida; Cheezy’s Artisan Pizza in San Francisco; Danger von Dempsey’s & Dempsey’s Brew Pub in Watertown, South Dakota; Mangia e Bevi in Oceanside, California; Much Ado About Pizza in Pleasanton, California; Peace of Pie on Hartwell in Fair Play, South Carolina; Tiki Sam’s in Hanover, Pennsylvania; and Uncle Rico’s in Fort Myers, Florida.
“We had a particularly fantastic time getting to know Enrico and Cira of Uncle Rico’s [pictured below],” Ruszaj said. “This was our first time connecting with them, and they were a dream to work with: super responsive and happy to get their pizza where it was needed most. We connected them with the Community Cooperative’s Sam’s Community Cafe & Kitchen. Those pizzas put smiles on a lot of faces that afternoon.”
Other notable pizza community leaders who took part in Pizza Across America included Tony Gemignani of Slice House and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana; John Arena of Metro Pizza and Truly Pizza; Laura Meyer of Pizzeria da Laura; Ali Haider of 786 Degrees; and Derrick Tung of Paulie Gee’s.
“We love that so many pizzerias give back to their communities year-round,” said Slice Out Hunger founder Scott Wiener, “but what makes Pizza Across America special is the unified effort from hundreds of pizzerias rallying around National Pizza Day.”
USPT members Mark and Kira Zabrowski, owners of Much Ado About Pizza in Pleasanton, California, have long embraced the idea that a pizza shop should serve as a gathering place within its community.
“Feeding people is at the heart of our business,” Kira said. “Pizza Across America is a small ask for pizzerias, and Slice Out Hunger makes the process clear and easy to execute. It’s one of the simplest ways we can turn what we do every day into something that directly serves our community. This year felt even more impactful because you can see the domino effect happening. When pizzerias across the country participate, it becomes bigger than any one business. It sets an example nationwide, and the more each of us contributes, the greater the impact we create together.”
She also emphasized that the barrier to participation is remarkably low for operators who want to join the initiative in the future. “If you own a pizzeria, you already have the tools. You have the ovens, the team and the ability to feed people. Giving back through Pizza Across America isn’t just good for the community, it’s a great way to create awareness. And it makes you feel good, too.”
According to Ruszaj, organizations like the U.S. Pizza Team “help tremendously to shine a light on the work that we do. When team members fight hunger locally, it sets a standard for giving back across the entire pizza community.”
She added, “Decreases in government funding towards human services hit people experiencing food insecurity two-fold: When the amount of funds available for government grants decrease, the resources hunger relief organizations need for their work become stretched thin, and when funding for programs like SNAP decrease, more folks struggling to make ends meet need to rely on local hunger programs to make sure that they and their loved ones have enough food to eat. Sending some pizza over to a local soup kitchen or shelter once a month can make a world of difference, and Pizza Across America is a fantastic opportunity to make that initial connection.”
Brian Hernandez is PMQ Pizza’s associate editor.
