Thousands of runners, walkers and spectators gathered for the second annual Be The Change 5K in San Diego and one of the three beneficiaries was Caterina’s Club, a nonprofit that feeds some 5,000 underprivileged children each day, finds permanent and safe housing for families in need and trains scores of at-risk youth for careers in the hospitality and restaurant field. Actress Marilu Henner served as celebrity ambassador for the race whose proceeds also benefited the Gary Sinese Foundation and Make-A-Wish San Diego.
“What a beautiful event that gathered together myriad of people from all walks of life who shared one common mission — to help others,” said Sir Bruno Serato, founder of Caterina’s Club. “The Be The Change Foundation generously invited us to participate in this year’s event and we are eternally grateful to them. We rely on our community partners and individual donors to fund our organization so that we can continue the important work of serving those in need.”
The Be The Change Foundation was created to improve the lives of those at home and abroad. It prides itself on foregoing traditional fundraising and, instead, raises money through the sale of its Be The Change products.
“Community action and service in the individual places where we live is part of ‘Being the Change That Is Needed in the World,’ Gandhi once said,” remarked the foundation’s President and CFO Dave Briskie.
Added his wife and the foundation’s Director Sunshine Briskie, “Caterina’s Club reflects our values and represents the kind of charities we like to support — community volunteers joining together to improve the lives of others.”
Caterina’s Club serves 5,000 pasta dinners each night in 89 locations in Orange and LA counties with more than 3 million meals served. Serato's influence has extended far beyond the local area to include chapters in Chicago, New York, Texas, Mexico and Italy. His nonprofit also helps families escape living in drug infested, crime-ridden motels and move into safer, cleaner and more permanent housing and his Hospitality Program seeks to divert at-risk high school students by introducing them to opportunities in the food, hospitality and service industries. For more information, visit www.caterinasclub.org