LAROSA’S HELPS FEED 90,000 LOCAL FOOD-INSECURE KIDS

Freestore Foodbank & LaRosa’s School Pantries Effort Raised $35,000 to Stock 60 School Food Pantries Throughout the Tri-State

CINCINNATI, OHIO –July 14, 2021 –LaRosa’s and Freestore Foodbank launched an  8-week effort on April 12, created specifically to stock 60 school pantries in 20 counties throughout the Tri-State. As a celebration for the community, LaRosa’s held a free-pizza event earlier today to serve kids and staff of Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy, the Carl H. Lindner YMCA, as well as the surrounding West End community, and presented a contribution of $ 35,000 to the Freestore Foodbank to stock local school pantries.

       The Freestore Foodbank School Pantries program provides permanent on-site food assistance at local schools with high food-insecurity rates.   Their 60 school food pantries, with year-round access, provide a safe and familiar place for kids and their families to obtain shelf-stable and frozen food.  Through Buddy Card sales at all Greater Cincinnati LaRosa’s Family Pizzerias, LaRosa’s contributed $ 5 to the Freestore Foodbank from every $ 10 Buddy Card purchased by Guests.

      “The Cincinnati community stepped up in a big way.  We are incredibly grateful to everyone who bought Buddy Cards to help us fill the Freestore Foodbank school pantries making sure that local kids and their families have enough to eat,” said Michael LaRosa, CEO, LaRosa’s Inc.

        The need for food assistance in Cincinnati is greater than it’s ever been – with more children going hungry every day – largely due to the effects of the pandemic.  “Our school pantries partnership with LaRosa’s is so vital to ensuring that local kids get the food they need, when they need it,” noted Kurt Reiber, Freestore Foodbank CEO

About Freestore Foodbank:

The Freestore Foodbank is the largest emergency food and services provider to children and families in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southeast Indiana throughout 20 counties. The organization distributes 37.7 million meals annually to low-income individuals and families. The Freestore Foodbank supports 540 community partners, including food kitchens, homeless shelters, and school pantries.  Freestore Foodbank School Pantry program includes nearly 60 pantries open year-round in or near schools.  The Freestore Foodbank is a member of Feeding America.

About LaRosa’s

LaRosa’s was founded in 1954 on Cincinnati’s West Side by Buddy LaRosa. It is now a $167 million restaurant company with 66 pizzerias serving neighborhoods in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.  To learn more about LaRosa’s, go to www.larosas.com.

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