Community Monday more than
15,520, 100% donated meals provided in ten weeks
We have decided to feed over 1000 people 100% donated every Monday. To date over 15,520.
Since the Corona Virus has plagued our Coachella Valley community Mario’s Italian Cafe has started Mario’s Community Monday. We feed all first responders, homeless, national guard, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Street Life Project, Salvation Army, Narrow Door, Desert regional hospital, John F Kennedy Hospital, Find Food Bank, and more. We have dedicated to feed over 1,000 people every Monday.
Since we started our business in 1961 we have always believed in giving back to our community. We are a friend to Desert Arc for the handicap, make a wish for terminal children, Relay For Life for cancer research and have raised money over the years for high schools fundraisers. We raise yearly in excess of $100,000 and donate 100% without any expenses taken out. Mario’s family now donates 100% of it’s products and labor with no cost or expenses taken out for Mario’s Community Monday.
- Mario has donated 105,000 surgical gloves
- Marios family continue to support a valley with donations of medical gloves and have delivered to
Desert regional Medical Center in Palm Springs *Eisenhower Medical Center and Rancho Mirage and
Jfk medical center in Indio - Borrego Health Clinic’s Valley wide A total of 105,000 surgical gloves for the safety of all first responders
Mario’s has donated over 105,000 surgical gloves to local hospitals!
Mario’s family continue to support our valley with donations of medical gloves. We have delivered to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs as well as to JFK Medical Center in Indio. Mario’s has already donated over 105,000 surgical gloves to various medical facilities including Eisenhower Health, Desert Regional, JFK Hospital and Borrego Health Clinics.
Mario’s help Street Life Project!
We have been continually serving our homeless friends during COVID-19. Thank you Mario’s Italian Cafe for supporting our efforts in reaching the most broken. Your love, compassion and faithfulness is felt by each and every person blessed with a meal. Sincerely Street Life Project
KESQ Channel 3 featured news article & video about Mario’s Community Monday
#NeighborhoodHeroes: Mario’s Italian Café donating thousands of meals during the pandemic.
Mario’s Italian Café’s has seven locations and all of them have been giving back to the community since 1973. During the coronavirus pandemic, they have stepped up their help in the community.
Mario’s Italian Café is primarily run by Mario and his sons Peter and Mathew and other family members. They have given back to the community, charities, schools, etc. with the year of 2020 being no different.
Mario said, “You give me somebody who really needs something, I am there.” He added, “God has made it possible for us to be able to do it and it’s our pleasure to do it.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, they have donated over 20,000 meals. They do this every Monday and have started something called Mario’s Community Monday. Every Monday they work with organizations that help people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and other life challenges. These organizations include Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Street Life, and The Narrow Door.
Kristen Crawford, a kitchen assistant with Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, said, “Without that help it makes it harder for us to give back to the individuals in need.”
On Monday November 16th, News Channel 3’s Taban Sharifi followed Mario to the Coachella Valley Rescue mission where they handed out hot meals to those in need. The second stop was with The Narrow Door where they handed out hot meals to people living in a nearby trailer park. Mario said, “8-10 people live in a little travel trailer, half of them don’t get a hot meal.” Quenton Helms, a worker with The Narrow Door, said, “It would be great if more businesses did it as well. Mario is so great in reaching the community and doing his part.”
It’s not just hot meals that Mario and his family are giving to the community, they also donated 105,000 surgical gloves to our local hospitals when they were most needed. Still, they are finding more ways to give back. Mario said, “Myself, The Narrow Door, and Street Life are putting something together now to get warm blankets, sweaters and things people need that can’t afford to buy them.” More information where you can help with this effort is found on Mario’s Italian Cafe website.
Mario expressed the joy he feels when helping the community. He said, “What I get inside here, you can’t buy with every penny you make.”
News Channel 3’s Taban Sharifi will have a highlight of these neighborhood heroes Thursday on KESQ News Channel 3.
Celebrating #NeighborhoodHeroes
While the coronavirus crisis is keeping us apart, we know the Coachella Valley community is still coming together to help each other. We are looking for those who are lending a hand during this uncertain time.