Serving Outside Our Walls with Hope (and Heart-Shaped Pizza)

As many of you know, one of our core values at Spinato's is community, and one of our fundamentals is serving outside our walls. Now and then, we get to experience something that reminds us exactly why we do what we do. On Monday, February 9th, Terry, our incredible F&B Director, and I had the absolute honor of hosting a virtual pizza-making class for HopeKids families. And let me tell you, it was one of those evenings that make you smile.

If you're not familiar with HopeKids, they are an extraordinary organization providing ongoing events, activities, and a powerful, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or another life-threatening medical condition. Their message centers around something simple but life-changing: hope is powerful medicine.

Their vision is to restore hope and transform the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions, their families, and the communities in which they serve. And they don't just say it, they live it. Every event they host is an opportunity for families to step away from hospital rooms, appointments, and diagnoses… and simply be together. To smile. To laugh. To connect.

That's where pizza came in.

From kitchens across the Pacific Northwest all the way to Florida, families logged in with dough ready to roll. Terry and I (fully committed, of course) showed up dressed as Luigi and Princess Peach from Super Mario Bros. Because if you're going to make heart-shaped pizzas, you might as well go all in.

Before Feb. 9th's event, we sent all families participating in the virtual pizza-making class gift cards to purchase items needed to make pizzas and mocktails. We spent the evening rolling out dough, cutting it into hearts, and teaching the kids how to sauce and top their pizzas. We shared a few behind-the-scenes glimpses into restaurant operations. While the pizzas were baking, we played pizza trivia and mixed up fun mocktails the families could make together at home. There was laughter. There were flour-covered countertops. There were big smiles on little faces. And there may have been pizza sauce on Princess Peach's gloves.

Moments like this remind me that whether someone is looking for the best pizza in Phoenix or pizza near me, what they're really searching for is connection. Food has a way of bringing people together, especially when it's shared with intention.

HopeKids gave us the opportunity to serve outside our walls in the most meaningful and new way. For a couple of hours, kitchens turned into classrooms. To the HopeKids families who joined us: thank you for letting us share your evening. Thank you for your courage, your joy, and your resilience. You inspired us more than we could ever express.

With gratitude,
~Jaime Spinato❤️

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