About a month after the owner of Angelo’s Cucina & Catering in Hempfield’s Grapeville neighborhood handed out more than 100 free spaghetti dinners, she plans on doubling that.
On June 29, owner Debbie Huey will give away 200 free dinners thanks to two anonymous donations, one from Grapeville and another from Pittsburgh.
Speaking of one of the donors, Huey said, “She called me two Friday nights ago and she said … ‘I love your food,’ and she said, ‘The reason for my call is because I would love to keep your great business in Grapeville. Everyone’s so excited because you’re here.’”
Neither donor wanted to be identified.
On June 4, Huey gave away 125 dinners in 35 minutes thanks to donations from Candy’s Corner Deli in Jeannette and Ken Tomajko, owner of Tomajko Arborist Services.
“This is 200 (dinners), so I’m expecting it to last 45 minutes,” Huey said, laughing.
She noted that she received nothing but support for the donations, adding, “People were thanking me for being in their local town because I’m not from Grapeville, I’m from Irwin.”
The idea for the free dinners formed after Huey and Tomajko worked together to donate meals to essential workers at AHN Hempfield Neighborhood Hospital. After, Tomajko came back to the restaurant, wanting to make another donation for 100 free dinners.
The June 29 event will start at 3:30 p.m. in the Angelo’s parking lot, 2601 Brown Ave. Two meals will be given out per car, but additional meals can be purchased for $5.
Grapeville firefighters will direct traffic.
