Roberts Italian Restaurant and Deli is hosting a food drive until Dec. 24 to help out their neighbors and give back to the community, with all donations going to Open Arms Food Bank.
Photo courtesy of Terry Usry
The holidays are a time for family and friends to gather, eat and be merry. However, for some, it can be hard to keep the table filled. This holiday season, Roberts Italian Restaurant and Deli is stepping up to help.
The restaurant has been hosting a holiday food drive to help their neighbors in need, collecting non-perishable food items to donate to Open Arms Food Bank in Littleton, which is a nearby neighbor of the restaurant.
For Bob Bruso, owner of Roberts Italian Restaurant and Deli, the food drive is just another part of his business’s mission.
“We are family-focused and community-oriented,” Bruso said. “We always try to give back and stay well-connected with our community.”
While Bruso’s restaurant is collecting donations that will go to the food bank until Dec. 24, the food bank is also open to direct donations year-round, or other organizations can host their own food drives and donate to the food bank.
Open Arms Food Bank is also open for distribution on Tuesdays, from noon to 3 p.m. Those in need of food, baby items and hygiene products can stop by the food bank on Tuesdays, and they don’t even need to get out of their car to receive food.
Bruso said that hosting the food drive had reminded him of how supportive his customers were of their neighbors.
“Customer participation has been really inspiring,” Bruso said. “We had one anonymous person drop off boxes full of pasta, sauce, and canned goods. Before we could thank her, she was gone.”
He added that the food drive also reminded him of how many of the restaurant’s neighbors were in need, and that he was glad to help give back.
“Sometimes we forget how many people here in the southwest suburbs are struggling. Open Arms Food Bank is less than two miles away from Roberts,” Bruso added. “Our food drive gives us and our customers a chance to help those in need right here in Littleton.”
Dining and Cooking