The California Municipal Finance Authority (CMFA) has awarded a $30,000 grant to Caterina’s Club to help the nonprofit fulfill its mission of feeding 5,000 hungry children throughout Southern California each night, find permanent housing for families in need and for training at-risk youth for jobs in the hospitality industry, announced John Stoeckler, CMFA’s financial advisor.
Stoeckler says that CMFA supports economic development, job creation and social programs throughout the state while giving back to municipalities. The funds used are generated through the issuance of taxable and tax-exempt bonds for public, private and nonprofit entities.
“We are pleasantly surprised to receive this grant as it was unsolicited,” said Sir Bruno Serato, founder of Caterina’s Club and chef/owner of the Anaheim White House Italian Steakhouse. “We rely on our community partners to help us fulfill our mission and are extremely grateful to CMFA for recognizing the important work we do.”
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 Chicago, New York, Texas, Mexico and Italy. His nonprofit also helps families escape living in drug, and crime-infested motels and into safer, cleaner and more permanent housing. His Hospitality Program seeks to divert at-risk high school students by introducing them to opportunities in the food, hospitality and service industries.
For his humanitarian work, Serato has earned international publicity including profiles in People Magazine, CBS, NBC, CNN as well as newspapers and magazines the world over. Among his many honors: CNN Hero, knighted by the Italian government, knighted by the House of Savoy, Ellis Island Medal of Honor, Papal blessing by Pope Francis, humanitarian award on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, and numerous proclamations, Man of the Year awards and other forms of recognition -- all of which he accepts to generate public awareness of the needs of our most vulnerable population – our children.
For more information or to make a donation to Caterina’s Club, visit www.caterinasclub.org