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It's a milestone that normally takes Chef Bruno and Caterina's Club a year to complete, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, in just the first six months of 2020, they have already provided 1 MILLION meals!
1 MILLION MEALS!
By now you've heard us tell you the story of Chef Bruno and his effort to feed kids and help families get back into stable housing. Since 2005 he has been feeding hundreds of children each night. When we jumped on board in 2010 to help spread the message, Caterina's Club was feeding thousands of kids each night at dozens of locations. By our 2019 PastaThon event, they were feeing 25,000 kids a week at more than 90 locations in more than 30 cities across Southern California. Since 2005, with his newest milestone, he's provided more than 4 million meals to those in need.
In addition to just feeding them, they also work to break the cycle of poverty by helping families get back into stable housing and helping teens learn hospitality skills they can use when they're ready to find a job.
Despite a devastating fire at the restaurant a few years ago and the recent shutdown of all restaurants because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Chef Bruno and Caterina's Club have NOT stopped. In fact, they are doing more, a LOT more and helping even more people in the community affected by the Covid-19 situation.
Just look at the amount of meals they served each week just in the first FIVE weeks of the pandemic starting back in March:
- Week 1: 87,552 meals
- Week 2: 136,928 meals
- Week 3: 49,056 meals
- Week 4: 73,216 meals
- Week 5: 64,480 meals
Since the start of this in March, every week, hundreds of cars drive through the restaurant or a remote location where Bruno and his Caterina's Club crew are passing out meals, groceries and paper products. Bruno and his crew suit up with masks, gloves, and smocks to cook and pack food and groceries and greet these people with a friendly word so that those struggling right now know that people care and are willing to help.
In addition to that, Bruno has taken tremendous steps at the restaurant to be able to open in a safe manner that protects both employees and guests. With temperature checks, masks and gloves, UV light sanitization and constant cleaning, the restaurant has been able to open safely. And, even when ordered to close indoor dining, Chef Bruno and his crew transformed their patios for a wonderful al fresco dining experience unlike anything else.
Bruno has said before that he would not have been able to do this if it wasn't for our yearly KFI PastaThon event. The pasta/ sauce YOU donate each year is what is allows him to do his work....and the amount you donated in 2019 specificially is what is helping him right now to serve the community in this amazing way. THANK YOU!
We are planning our 10th Annual PastaThon event in December, but because of the Covid-19 situation, it will be very different this year, likely a virtual event....but we will work hard to continue to make this a wonderful event that will help Bruno and Caterina's Club continue to serve his community. As we have more details on what we're doing for #KFIPastaThon 2020 we will let you know. In the meatime, if you'd like to help Chef Bruno and Caterina's Club by volunteering, or donating, please visit the Caterina's Club website.
You can also help by dining at the restaurant! Go to the Ananehim White House website for information or to make a reservation for al fresco dining.