HAC CEO Genevieve Jacobs AM and Bella Pizza owner Sanjay Ghatani celebrate charitable giving through eating. Photo: Tenele Conway,
Despite being the new kid on the block, Braddon’s newest pizza joint, Bella Pizza, is already finding ways to give back to the community by partnering with independent community foundation Hands Across Canberra (HAC).
The campaign, One Pizza, One Dollar, One Difference, was launched at a community event held at the Bella Pizza food truck, and the timing is just right for those looking for a long weekend destination that not only lands you a delicious pizza but also sees funds injected back into the community.
“We want to demonstrate that a small food business can make a positive contribution, regardless of its size. By engaging with the local community and supporting important causes, we hope to encourage a spirit of generosity and show that every contribution, no matter how small, can have an impact,” said Sanjay Ghatani, owner of Bella Pizza.
Bella Pizza is welcomed as a HAC champion at a community event held at its Braddon food truck. Photo: Tenele Conway.
HAC was launched in 2013 as a way to connect local generosity with charities and community organisations to facilitate easier and more regular charitable giving. HAC CEO Genevieve Jacobs AM attended the launch to welcome Bella Pizza into the fold as a HAC Champion stating that she was not only happy to be celebrating the partnership but that she was also a big fan of the pizzas.
With the pizza flowing, Genevieve, along with HAC head of communications and partnerships Jo Dean-Ritchie mingled with leaders of the Nepalese community who came along to support Sanjay and his wife Radhika in their new charitable venture.
If you’re wondering what causes your long weekend pizza consumption will support, you don’t have to look far in Canberra to see the impact HAC has been able to make in 13 years, with a footprint of more than 350 charities and community organisations assisted. Many of the supported causes are family-founded organisations, such as the Boorer Family Fund that supports youth at risk, the Leemhuis Family Fund that supports disability and domestic violence and the Sue Salthouse Fund supporting leadership and mentoring for Canberrans with disability.
In its mission to connect givers with charities, HAC is able to shine a light on and direct funds to organisations that may not have the resources and awareness of the bigger players, opening the door to new connections, especially between the business community and causes in need.
“If other hospitality groups and local businesses are looking for ways to channel funds to local causes we encourage them to reach out. We can connect them with food banks, and the Canberra Day Appeal is an excellent cause for hospo to get involved with,” Jo Dean-Ritchie said.
24-hour fermented sourdough and quality toppings set Bella apart in the pizza game. Photo: Martin Conway.
If you haven’t yet tried a Bella Pizza, well, you’re in for a treat. Apart from the sweet, sweet taste of supporting local causes that will benefit the entire Canberra community, Bella’s sourdough pizza bases go through a 24-hour period of fermentation, giving its bases depth and a satisfying bite. Sanjay and Radhika have worked hard to match their toppings to the preferences of Canberrans, and they’re particularly proud of the CBR Pizza, which Sanjay said he designed based on his years of experience in Canberra pizza kitchens. Topped with San Marzano tomatoes, fior de latte cheese, chicken, basil pesto, roasted peppers, mushroom and rosemary, Sanjay’s focus on quality ingredients is apparent.
For those who like something a little more minimalist, Sanjay does a wonderful Margherita Pizza, or the Ham and Pine shows off his talent for morphing a simple ingredient such as pineapple and giving it new life by infusing it with cinnamon.
No matter which way you go with your pizza choice, you’ll be supporting a wide range of local causes, so it’s a win-win for everybody.
Bella Pizza is located at 17 Lonsdale Street, Braddon. One Pizza, One Dollar, One Difference is running from 1 to 10 October with $1 from every pizza sale going directly to Hands Across Canberra.
Original Article published by Tenele Conway on Region Canberra.
