Published: 6/11/2020 1:24:48 PM
Modified: 6/11/2020 1:24:36 PM
GREENFIELD — When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Amy White and her husband, Craig White, owner of Hillside Pizza, put their heads together to find a way to help the community.
The answer came in the form of a collaboration with Salvation Army Capt. Scott Peabody, who the couple has known since 2014. Hillside Pizza opted to provide pizza and fruit through the social service agency’s daily lunches, and has raised more than $5,000 to support the effort so far.
“When (the pandemic) started, we knew people would be hit hard and fast,” Amy White explained. “We suspected their need would be increased, so we asked how we could help.”
The Salvation Army provides lunch five days a week, Mondays through Fridays, out of its building at 72 Chapman St. in Greenfield. The Whites and Bob Lindner, part-owner of Hillside Pizza, started by providing lunch and fruit for the Salvation Army on Fridays, but “Pizza Fridays” quickly grew into “Pizza Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.”
“They’re doing three days a week for us right now,” Peabody said.
Over the last 13 weeks, Hillside Pizza has helped provide more than 2,200 people with a meal at the Salvation Army. By raising money and taking care of the meals a few days a week, the Salvation Army is able to reallocate its own time, energy and money to other needed areas.
“We love our community,” Amy White commented. “Caring for those in need, actively reaching out and giving to our community — these are our values.”
The fundraising effort to support meals began when Amy White’s mother, Ann De Roode, made an initial $500 donation in early March.
Then, on the Friday before Memorial Day, Craig White was delivering the pizza and fruit to the Salvation Army when a young boy asked him, “Can I take two oranges today, so I can have one for the weekend?” Craig White said his heart broke as he realized he didn’t have any oranges that day, and the lunch program wouldn’t return until Tuesday due to the holiday.
Moved by this story, De Roode donated another $1,000 to launch “Fruit Fridays,” with the goal of providing enough fruit for people to bring some home. Since Memorial Day, Hillside Pizza has raised an additional $2,000 to support the fruit program.
“This one little boy blew our hearts open and changed our vision,” Amy White said.
She noted that Hillside Pizza is able to purchase the fruit at wholesale price. According to Amy White, $100 can buy roughly 400 pieces of fruit, including oranges, bananas and grapes.
Peabody said the Salvation Army receives funding through its partnership with United Way, but it also relies on donations from businesses and individuals.
“There’s a lot of great support within the community, even beyond this situation with COVID-19,” he said.
In hopes of continuing Hillside Pizza’s work with the Greenfield Salvation Army, Bob Lindner’s daughter, Kim, another part-owner, created a Hillside Pizza Community Meal Service Fundly account. The goal is to support serving roughly 230 people weekly and providing fresh fruit each Friday. Donations can be made at bit.ly/2Uxadad.
Alternatively, anyone interested in donating can call the Bernardston Hillside Pizza shop, 77 Church St., at 413-648-0500. The Hadley branch, at 173 Russell St. (Route 9), is also raising money to benefit the Amherst Survival Center.
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.
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