SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Bianchi’s Pizza & Catering is giving back to Solvay after the community helped when the business needed it most. In December of 2021, a fire destroyed Bianchi’s.
“I get a phone call, and probably one of the worst nights of my life. That there’s a fire, the building’s on fire. I hurry up, get dressed, rush down here, my wife rushes down here. We turn the corner onto Milton Ave, and it was just more than I could take,” said Bianchi’s owner Sam Mangano.
Mangano inherited Bianchi’s from his parents who started the business in 1972.
“It was brutal. I mean, windows smashed out, smoke pouring out. I thought there was a like a little small fire, it was, it was like completely gutted,” said Mangano.
The Solvay community created a GoFundMe page for Bianchi’s to help them rebuild after the fire. The page raised over $25,000. Now, Bianchi’s wants to give back to the community and help those who lost their SNAP benefits during the government shutdown.
“So this whole government shutdown happened, and then I’m like, we have to do something. I can’t feed the world, but we can defintely take care of the people in Solvay. So that’s what we ended up doing, giving away a pizza with one item,” said Mangano.
While the government is open and SNAP benefits are slowly resuming, Mangano is continuing to give out the free pizzas.
“We’re going to do it another week until there’s no demand. Until everybody’s, you know, because I’m not sure who’s getting it, who’s getting it late, I’m not 100% sure, I’ve never needed it. I don’t know how it works. So we’re doing it until there’s no need,” said Mangano.
More information on the free pizzas can be found on the pizza shop’s Facebook page @Bianchi’s Catering.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Local pizza shop gives back to community with free pizzas for SNAP recipients
Elizabeth Gottlieb: A local pizza shop has been feeding the community since 1972. But there was a time when they had to close.
Sam Mangano: I get a phone call, and probably one of the worst nights of my life. That there’s a fire, the building’s on fire. I hurry up, get dressed, rush down here, my wife rushes down here. We turn the corner onto Milton Ave, and it was just more than I could take.
Gottlieb: Sam Mangano is the owner of Bianchi’s Pizza & Catering and has been working there since his parents started the business.
Mangano: It was brutal. I mean, windows smashed out, smoke pouring out. I thought there was a like a little small fire, it was, it was like completely gutted.
Gottlieb: When the Solvay community heard the news, they stepped up.
Mangano: The whole community started a GoFundMe page for Bianchi’s. So they rasied, $25,000.
Gottlieb: After what the community has done for Bianchi’s, the pizza shop has decided to give back, one slice at a time.
Magano: So this whole government shutdown happened, and then I’m like, we have to do something. I can’t feed the world, but we can defintely take care of the people in Solvay. So that’s what we ended up doing, giving away a pizza with one item.
Gottlieb: Even though the government has reopened, Bianchi’s will continue to give out the pizzas.
Mangano: We’re going to do it another week until there’s no demand. Until everybody’s, you know, because I’m not sure who’s getting it, who’s getting it late, I’m not 100% sure, I’ve never needed it. I don’t know how it works. So we’re doing it until there’s no need.
Gottlieb: Reporting for NCC News, I’m Elizabeth Gottlieb