Slice Out Hunger is a nonprofit annual fundraiser that provides meals for the homeless in New York City. The organization is run entirely by volunteers. Their mission is simple yet valuable to the New York City community. Pizza lovers gather under one roof to purchase up to 10 slices of their choice. The top-rated pizzerias sell their New York style pizza for just one dollar. Hungry customers line up to trade one ticket for an appetizing slice of pizza. People are given a special GreenBox to carry their pizza as seen on the T.V. show Shark Tank. The cardboard box is perforated so that one can split the box into four plates to spread the goodness. They are also able to fold the box into a smaller portable box for people to take leftovers home.
My two friends and I agreed to meet at The Lower Hall located on 155 Sullivan St. at Houston. My friend informed me about this amazing event and sent an invitation to me on Facebook. Although the doors did not open until 6 PM, I arrived to the location at around 4:30 PM. I did not expect to see a line of people waiting already. I stood about a half block away from the entrance for what seemed like an eternity. When my friends had arrived, I realized I was very hungry. I was jealous of the people who were privileged to skip the entire line and enter the event as a VIP, allowing them to have grab the pizza first. The first pizza I ate was the best one. The heavenly pizza came from a mobile cart called Pizza Luca, a Neapolitan pizza heated in a wood fire Chevy flatbed truck. The gentleman serving the pizza boasted that by the end of the event people will be thinking about their pizza. I noticed that most servers were not very strict with the rule of paying a ticket for their slice of pizza. In fact, my friend ended up with about 14 slices or different toppings, sauces, and styles by the end of the night. After grabbing a soda from the last table, we made our way a few blocks to eat at Washington Square Park, enjoying the New York City nighttime scenery while eating pizza.
Although I initially went to the event because I was extremely excited to try the city’s best pizzerias for a low price, I was grateful to find out all of the money that was raised that night was donated to fund hunger relief. Every ticket provided 20 meals with a total of 50,000 dollars raised in just three hours. The event is also beneficial to pizzerias as they are able to advertise their pizza to the people of New York City. Pizza is a food that is eaten around the world in many different cultures. People love the oven baked dough topped with savory sauce, zesty cheese, and other delicious toppings. Slice Out Hunger is looking to expand their event across the country to help the people who need it the most.
