One day, a customer walked into Rosa’s Fresh Pizza in Philadelphia and asked to pre-purchase a slice of pizza for a homeless person who didn’t have $1.
Now, all customers have the option to buy a $1 slice for themselves and pay another $1 to underwrite the cost of a slice for someone in need.
“[The donation process] has grown very organically from there,” says Mason Warman founder and owner of the restaurant.
The program—which has been going on for a little more than a year—has grown so large, that each day about 30 to 40 people donate $1 for someone in need. Those that make a donation than write a message on a Post-It Note, which is then stuck to the shop’s wall. The restaurant was even featured on Ellen DeGeneres’ show—she presented him with a $10,000 check.
“I was very flattered that the Ellen show thought my story was interesting enough to feature on her show and to contribute money towards,” says Warman. “It’s a great validation for our work.”
Those wishing to use the restaurant as a catering option for their next event are in luck. Rosa’s offers one of the most affordable options in the city with $8 per pizza and $2 per toppings, which include mushrooms, pepperoni and beef sausage—other toppings can be purchased in advance.
