Giuseppe Brooklyn Ovens in Arcadia has been bustling with activity as staff members worked tirelessly for two days. They prepared trays of pasta, meatballs, lasagna, and even 30 pizzas for children, all for a change-of-command ceremony at the local armory.
Owner Gary Grossman shared how the armory approached him with news of their funding being slashed after the government shutdown.
"They were expected to feed 300 people for a total of $1,200, which is not humanly possible," said Grossman.
Grossman explained that he pondered the situation for two days before deciding he couldn't let service members go without a proper meal.
"All of these individuals that volunteered to serve our country put their life on the line. They deserve to be respected," said Grossman.
To make the event possible, Grossman reached out to six of his wholesale vendors for help.
"I explained the circumstance, I sent out a letter. Those six vendors have contributed through this conversation about $8,300 worth of wholesale food," said Grossman. "The total cost of this venture is just shy of $32,000 and the way things turned out, the difference between what they donated and what this cost, our company is going to step up to the plate, for we think these troops and our families deserve that."
Approximately 280 people are expected to attend, along with a full ceremony, kids' activities, and what Grossman calls a "real deal" dinner.
"I'm a six-year Marine Corps combat veteran. Have a lot of sensitivity. Whether they actually served in a war zone or not is immaterial. They were willing to so for that, they deserve honor. They deserve respect," said Grossman.
Grossman and his team plan to return to the kitchen on Saturday morning to complete the preparations.
Every dollar the armory had available went toward beverages, as all the food and service are being generously donated.