In a beautiful act of altruism in the first days of 2015, the report has come out that patrons of a $1 a slice Philadelphia pizza shop have donated an amazing 8,400 slices for people in need, as the now famous joint feeds dozens of homeless people every day.
A Philadelphia pizza shop has become worldwide news in the past few days, after a report surfaced that its owner has a policy of giving out food to those in need in exchange for words of appreciation that cover up the entire place.
According to People Magazine, the heartwarming tale of the Philadelphia pizza shop has given the world a sweet story to start the year with hope. A man named Mason Wartman, who had previously worked on Wall Street, left New York City for his hometown Philly with the idea of making $1 a slice pizza joints a thing, creating his own venue, Rosa's Fresh Pizza, honoring his mother's name.
ABC News reports that Wartman, now 26, started his restaurant back in 2013 after "plateauing" in Wall Street, dreaming of starting his own business; he did so with $250,000 worth of savings after quitting his job in equity research.
The concept of the pizza joint brings people back to that shown in the movie "Pay it Forward," as it invites patrons to spend an extra dollar to give a pizza slice to a homeless person, also putting up post-its as notes to those in need, with messages like "you can do it!" - and they'll also write "thank you" notes in return for their meals.
According to The Huffington Post, the idea came after a customer wanted to buy a slice for someone in need, making Wartman come up with the idea of putting up post-its to keep track of how much food they had in storage for the homeless - but the strategy proved inefficient as thousands of people joined the project, and he left the notes there as a reminder of kindness and posting some of the notes on the pizza place's social media.
"This is a super-easy way, a super-efficient way and a super-transparent way to help the homeless," Wartman said regarding the strategy of his Philadelphia pizza shop, Rosa's Fresh Pizza. "Sometimes homeless people buy [slices] for other homeless people."
