LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Pizza to the Polls, Slice, Slice Out Hunger and CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), announced their latest initiative, “Vax and Snacks” to serve local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations to the program will turn into orders from local pizzerias in the Slice network to feed those waiting to get vaccinated as well as frontline workers and volunteers.
While following all recommended CDC and state health guidelines, the “Vax and Snacks” program will work with local pizzerias and CORE staff to safely deliver food. Deliveries will begin this week in Los Angeles, with other major cities across the country to follow.
Pizza to the Polls Program Director, Amirah Noaman, expanded on the partnerships around this program, “We are fortunate to have connected with such supportive partners to kick off this vital initiative to feed people in lines at vaccination sites. With Slice coordinating delivery from local pizzerias, Slice Out Hunger providing health and safety expertise, and CORE supplying the on the ground logistics support, this is truly a collaborative effort.”
One year ago, Slice, Pizza to the Polls and Slice Out Hunger launched Pizza vs. Pandemic to feed front line care workers by coordinating large orders with independent pizzerias. To date, the initiative has fed over 235,000 frontline workers, supported over 2,100 local pizzerias and raised over $780,000.
“To us, community is everything. We are proud to have stepped up with our partners and shop owners at the beginning of this pandemic with Pizza v. Pandemic,” said Slice Founder and CEO Ilir Sela. “It is only fitting that we would join together again with our partners and shop owners to support our community members who are getting vaccinated.”
"Getting vaccinated is our greatest weapon in ending the pandemic," said CORE co-founder and CEO Ann Lee. "We're grateful to be a part of this initiative that engages and supports our communities as they visit our sites to receive the vaccine, and rewards our extraordinary frontline workers who are working tirelessly day in, day out to protect their communities and save lives."
For more information or to make a donations to “Vax and Snacks”, visit https://polls.pizza/donate
About Pizza to the Polls
Pizza to the Polls is a nonpartisan, nonprofit initiative with a simple mission: deliver food to people participating in civic life. Starting in 2016, Pizza to the Polls began feeding hungry voters waiting in long lines at polling locations. Over the last four years, 80k+ pizzas have been delivered to 4k+ polling sites across 48 states. In 2020, Pizza to the Polls launched a food truck program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with 1m+ snacks distributed in 29 cities across 290+ truck rolling days.
In 2021, Pizza to the Polls is expanding to feed people waiting in long lines at mass vaccination sites. While following all recommended CDC and state health guidelines, Pizza to the Polls will use its technology, expertise, and network of passionate supporters and partners to get food to vaccination locations where it’s needed most.
About Slice
A 2021 winner of Fast Company's prestigious Most Innovative Companies Award, Slice is the nation’s largest network of pizzerias. By offering the same specialized technology, marketing, data insights, shared services and guidance that pizza franchises offer franchisees, Slice transforms independent pizzerias to better serve today’s digital-minded customers. The company’s industry low, fixed-cost per order model is designed to benefit both the business owner and consumer alike. Enabling small businesses to thrive makes it easy for customers to order from their go-to shops and discover their next favorite. Serial tech entrepreneur Ilir Sela started Slice to solve the digital challenges of his family’s New York City pizzerias. Today, the company partners with over 15,000 pizzerias across 3,000 cities in all 50 states forming the nation’s largest marketplace for authentic pizza, more than double the U.S. footprint of Domino’s. For more information, visit slicelife.com.
slicelife.com | LinkedIn | Instagram |Twitter
About Slice Out Hunger
Slice Out Hunger is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that produces pizza-related events and campaigns to support American hunger relief and prevention measures. The organization has raised over $1,000,000 to fund hunger relief efforts in the U.S. since 2009. Events and campaigns include Slice Out Hunger’s $1 Annual Pizza Party to raise funds for hunger relief in NYC, Pizza Across America to assist homeless shelters in the cold winter months, and various emergency campaigns when sudden needs arise.
ABOUT CORE
CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) is a nonprofit organization co-founded by Sean Penn and Ann Lee that is dedicated to saving lives and strengthening communities affected by or vulnerable to crisis. Within hours of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Penn mobilized a powerful network to take immediate action. More than 10 years later, CORE continues to lead sustainable programs focused on four pillars: emergency relief, disaster preparedness, environmental resiliency and community building. The organization has expanded beyond Haiti to support communities in The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the United States. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, CORE has been operating free testing sites across the country alongside local partners, providing essential resources and contact tracing services as well as part of its integrated “CORE 8” approach to combat the pandemic. In 2021, CORE is working with its partners nationwide to ensure safe and equitable distribution of vaccines as they become available to the communities the organization serves. More information: www.coreresponse.org/covid19