'Little Caesars Love Kitchen' Brings Pizza To Belleville Shelter

(Friday, June 05, 2009) - When Joyce Wheeler was told Little Caesars was bringing pizza to her shelter, she thought it was a joke.

"For them to call and to say that they will come here and feed everyone here in the day camp and the shelter, because normally, I do the cooking for it, and I just thought that I was cooking today," Wheeler said. "Is this a joke?"

It was no joke. Local Little Caesars franchisee Michael Harr rolled into the parking lot at the Salvation Army shelter in Belleville late Thursday morning with 40 large pepperoni pizzas in a large truck, better known as "The Little Caesars Love Kitchen." The mobile pizzeria is from the pizza chain's corporate offices in Detroit. Harr, who owns the franchises in Belleville and Fairview Heights, said he has been working for the last four years to bring the Love Kitchen to the metro-east.

"We're really glad they got to come this time because I really feel that this is a great time for this town and for the people of this town," Harr said. "With all of the layoffs and the economic problems we've been having, this is really feels good to be doing something like this."

Harr said he wanted to feed as many as 200 at the shelter. Residents were grateful to have pizza for lunch Thursday.

"It's pretty good," said 46-year-old shelter resident Brian Savant. "I like it. It's good pizza."

"This is great," said 54-year-old Curtis Nelson. "It's different."

Capt. Dale Rodgers said the Salvation Army provides shelter and food for those in need throughout the year by way of donations, such as the annual Tree of Lights campaign.

"This is a blessing," Rodgers said of the donated pizzas.

Wheeler made a salad and provided drinks, but otherwise stayed out of the way.

"Too many cooks spoil the pie," she said, "so I'm going to let them continue."

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