SAN ANTONIO – Pizza can bring a smile to anybody, but those smiles mean so much more when they are coming from children who have suffered abuse and neglect.
A local pizzeria served up some smiles to area foster children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deco Pizzeria teamed up with Roofs Over Texas to help out Child Advocates San Antonio or CASA, to donate a special meal for about 350 foster children who have experienced abuse and neglect at the hands of family members.
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The CASA staff picked up the pizzas and delivered them to children in care to give them a little bit of normalcy in the midst of the coronavirus.
The owner of Deco Pizzeria, Jacob Valenzuela, said it felt good knowing he and Roofs Over Texas brought a spark of joy to the children that have gone through so much.
“It brought tears to my eyes,” Valenzuela said. “It makes me feel really good. Amir with Roofs over Texas told me, Jacob, we have to do something really special.”
He said it’s important to not forget about our vulnerable groups during this time.
“Non-profits they are not getting funding,” he said. ”Donations are minimized because of financial situations that big corporations are put in. So we are all feeling it, so it’s all so important to reach out to those non-profit organizations,” he said.
Valenzuela said he couldn’t see the children or recieve pictures because of protective orders they are under, but the organizers at CASA told him the kids were very excited.