About 170 people total were served a free meal at Long Beach Rescue Mission Monday, thanks to Buono’s Italian restaurant.” captionposition=”bottom-left” lightbox=”off” floater=”on” floaterposition=”left” floaterdirection=”none”] [aesop_character name=”Cory Bilicko” caption=”Managing Editor” align=”right” force_circle=”off”] Buono’s Pizzeria employees were hard at work Monday morning— prepping, cooking and setting tables for the diners who would soon be enjoying the restaurant’s pizza, pasta, salad and dessert.
However, they weren’t doing all this at any of Buono’s three locations; they were at Long Beach Rescue Mission, getting ready to serve nearly 200 homeless people.
[aesop_image imgwidth=”300px” img=”http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Screen-Shot-2016-11-18-at-12.24.24-PM.png” credit=”Cory Bilicko | Signal Tribune” align=”left” lightbox=”on” caption=”Frank Buono, who owns and manages Buono’s Italian restaurants in Long Beach and San Pedro, sponsored a free meal for local homeless individuals on Nov. 14 at Long Beach Rescue Mission.” captionposition=”left” revealfx=”off”] Frank Buono, who owns and manages two Buono’s restaurants in Long Beach and one in San Pedro, sponsored the event— providing the meal and the staff— in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
The menu included an Italian salad, cheese pizza, rigatoni al forno, farfalle Alfredo with chicken and broccoli, meatballs, garlic bread knots and cookies.
Buono, whose family’s restaurant business has been in the area for 43 years, said he chose Long Beach Rescue Mission as the site for Monday’s event because of its extensive services.
[aesop_image imgwidth=”200px” img=”http://www.signaltribunenewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Screen-Shot-2016-11-18-at-12.46.17-PM.png” credit=”Cory Bilicko | Signal Tribune” align=”right” lightbox=”on” caption=”Buono’s Pizzeria employees set tables at Long Beach Rescue Mission Monday morning in preparation of feeding nearly 200 homeless individuals. The restaurant provided a free meal that day in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. ” captionposition=”right” revealfx=”off”] “They have a comprehensive program, where they provide training and assistance on getting a job and rehabilitating the people that go there,” Buono said. “It’s quite impressive.”
Buono said he had become familiar with the organization years ago during a tour of the facility.
“We stop by and drop off food sometimes, when we have leftover food,” Buono said. “And, about 20 years ago, I was given a tour… it is a place that is dear to me and, it is of great value to the neighborhood and the people it serves.”
He called the event a fantastic day and said about 170 people were served during the two meal times.
“It was a feel-good day,” he said. “It’s great to have met both the staff that work at the Long Beach Rescue Mission, along with the people that they serve and the people who volunteer their time there,” Buono said. “It was a moment to do something good and something kind. I couldn’t think of a better way to give thanks for all of our good fortune and all of the things that are good in our lives that we sometimes take for granted.”
