Little Caesars Love Kitchen Serves Free Pizza to the Needy in Kalispell

(The Little Caesars "Love Kitchen" in parked in front of Samaritan House.)

Kalispell, MT, May 21, 2010 - The Little Caesars Love Kitchen came to the Samaritan House to provide fresh Little Caesars to feed approximately 100 people on May 24th.

A pizza kitchen on wheels, the Little Caesars Love Kitchen travels across the continental United States and Canada meeting the needs of the hungry, the homeless and disaster survivors.

"The Love Kitchen was created to provide quality meals for people who need them," said Little Caesars local franchisee Susan Hill. "As a member of the area business community, it's important to me to support people when they need it and help make the community stronger. I'm excited to support this program with food and staff to provide a quality meal for people who otherwise may not get one."

The Little Caesars Love Kitchen has fed more than two million people in 48 states and four Canadian provinces. It has also responded to disasters such as recent floods in North Dakota and Iowa, the hurricanes in the Gulf area in 2008 and in 2005, the site of the World Trade Center attacks on Sept 11, 2001, and the 1995 Federal Building bombing in Oklahoma City. Established by Little Caesars in 1985, the Love Kitchen exemplifies Little Caesars' long standing tradition of giving back to America's communities.

"We know that it's important to reach out to the communities where we do business, and help make a difference," said David Scrivano, president, Little Caesars Enterprises, Inc. "As a family company, we are proud to work together with our local franchisees and company-owned stores to coordinate the vehicle, staff and food to be there for people in Kalispell who need assistance."

Local Little Caesars franchise owners and company regional offices donate all food and labor costs for the Love Kitchen servings. An estimated 50,000 Little Caesars franchise owners and employees have volunteered their time over the years to support the program in their local communities.

(Shown below is David Fox the driver of the Love Kitchen and Susan Hill owner of the local Little Caesars franchise as they make pizzas in the Love Kitchen for the Samaritan House residents.)

Photos of the 3rd Annual "Cowboy Up" Event

Photos by Ruthie Krager

3rd Annual "Cowboy Up" for the Samaritan House coming April 10th

3rd Annual "Cowboy Up" for the Samaritan House

Help the Samaritan House meet the challenge of homelessness in Northwest Montana during these tough economic times.

The third annual benefit for the Samaritan House homeless shelter will be held on Saturday, April 10th at Gardner Auction Service, on Highway 93 South, behind Mergenthaler's.

Tickets for the benefit at $35 each will include a pig roast dinner, live and silent auction and ticket holder raffle. Music will be provided by Smart Alex. Beer and Wine will be available for purchase. Doors open at 5 pm, dinner begins at 5:30 pm, the live auction starts at 6 pm and the music begins about 7pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at the Samaritan House, 124 9th Avenue West, Kalispell, 257-5801.

The Samaritan House is one of Montana's few homeless shelters and the only shelter in Northwest Montana to offer case management services. It provides a transitional housing program and a broad range of services and support to help break the cycle of homelessness. In 2009, Samaritan House served over 1,167 individuals and families, provided almost 25,000 meals and helped 142 homeless veterans with food and shelter. Over 600 homeless people had to be turned away in 2009 because the shelter was full.

Smart Alex is a four-piece band with over 130 years of combined musical performance experience. They play a wide variety of music including classic rock, swing and country.

When Living in a Motel is No Vacation

Check out this great article on hotel living by St. Louis Today. It is an audio slideshow about homelessness and living temporarily in low priced hotels. Click below for an interesting glimpse into the lives of people just trying to get by:
Motel Manor: Suburban Homelessness in St. Charles County / St. Louis Today
This happens in our neighborhood.

Encouraging

Received this encouraging little note with a donation:

Greetings -

Six and a half years ago Samaritan House helped our daughter and three grandchildren into an apartment in Kalispell. Now our daughter is in her second year in a teaching position here in Oregon; granddaughter and her husband are in post graduate study at Church Seminary and two grandsons are in college. Thanks for being there for them when they were in need. We hope that this will help you assist others who are now in need.

Christmas at Samaritan House

Sometimes the holidays can be a tough time for people at the Samaritan House with no where to call home or maybe no one to share it with. This is a great time at the shelter, food, volunteers and presents for everyone making for a festive time despite difficult circumstances.

Lucky

Photo by Ruthie Krager

The years show on his face. His smile is only noticed with a second look. His bed and likely all his belongings are there over his shoulder. Trust me when I say that he's told us how grateful he is to be there. Usually every bed is full like this every night so he is one of the lucky ones.
Some don't get in and mornings like last Tuesday are why this is serious.

This has been an amazing year for the Samaritan House. We opened a new building, this came with repairs unforseen. The economic downturn not only affected our budget but it brought a whole wave of people needing our help. Truth is, we are coming in to the end of the year in the red but fully confident that we've maintained hospitality to the least of these.
One great way to help is coming Friday, December 18th. Fresh Life Radio is presenting a Christmas movie double feature in Fresh Life Church's newly opened Liberty Theater. At 5 pm at the Liberty Theater there will be a showing of Veggie Tales Saint Nicholas: A Tale of Christmas Giving and at 7 pm It's A Wonderful Life. It is a paper goods drive for the Samaritan House to offset the shelter expense of paper goods i.e. TP, paper towels, napkins etc. Admission to the movies is a donation of a paper goods item.
Several reasons to go... to support the shelter, your curiosity about the historic Liberty Theater, the chance to see a great classic film on the big screen again or simply your love for talking vegetables.