TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

2 N.Y. Natives Serve Up Slices Of Generosity

ADVERTISEMENT

By JESSICA BAIR, The Suncoast News

Published: September 17, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - In the seven months that Mr. C's Pizza has been slinging sauce and dough, owner George Casabianca has reached out to the community with the help of a local rabbi.

Mr. C's at 9123 Little Road serves New York-style pizza and traditional Italian meals. Casabianca, 54, can be seen tossing pies seven days a week while son Jarett, 21, works the counter.

By chance or fate, Rabbi Irwin Cutler, former spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Tefillah at the Jewish Community Center in Port Richey, came in to buy a slice - and a partnership was born.

The two New York natives - Casabianca is from the South Bronx, Cutler hails from Brooklyn - had more than just geography and pizza in common. They shared a desire to help people in need.

'I asked him what he does with his leftover pizzas at the end of the day,' Cutler said. 'Mr. C told me he tosses them out, so I asked him not to.'

The rabbi has been running an outreach program for the past three years and thought homeless people would enjoy the food. Mr. C agreed.

'When I opened, I said we wouldn't turn away anyone who was truly hungry or starving,' Casabianca said. 'Whatever we don't sell at night is still good and still fresh.'

Now the two usually serve up sustenance five days a week, with Cutler traveling anywhere between State Road 54 and the Holy Ground homeless shelter in Hudson to deliver the food while doing his outreach work.

'We are all children of God,' the rabbi said. 'I want to help the people who need help. It doesn't matter what religion. We just got to help each other.'
Casabianca said he found out while growing up what it's like to have very little.

From time to time, Cutler will bring to the restaurant someone who doesn't know where the next meal is coming from. He and Casabianca will sit, chat and get to know their guest.

'If they walk in, homeless and hungry, I don't charge them,' Casabianca said. 'It's just my way of giving back.'

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT