• Shelley Henderson

The Salvation Army and Little Caesars Love Kitchen Bring Pizza and Prayers After Helene

Black Mountain, NC (October 25, 2024)--In the early hours of Friday, September 27, a flash flood swept through Black Mountain, North Carolina, demolishing everything in its path, including Joe’s house. His car was discovered nearby, nose-down in several feet of mud, while all his belongings and cherished memories were lost away in the deluge.

A month later, Joe is counting his blessings. He has his job and hasn’t missed a day of work despite losing his home and car. His neighbors welcomed him into their home and sheltered him, and his friends and family have rallied around him to help rebuild his life.

But there was one thing Joe missed. Pizza.

Enter Little Caesar’s Love Kitchen—a mobile pizza oven on wheels dedicated to spreading kindness and offering a taste of hope. For years, the Little Caesar Love Kitchen has partnered with The Salvation Army to fill empty stomachs and uplift spirits within the community after disasters.

Within a week of Hurricane Helene, the Love Kitchen was on the road, serving slices of pizza in the hardest-hit areas. In Black Mountain, the Love Kitchen once again partnered with The Salvation Army, providing hot slices of pizza while The Salvation Army distributed food boxes and prayed with those whose lives had been turned upside down by the storm.

“It’s what we’re here to do,” said Beth Shadden, the Little Caesars Love Kitchen driver. “We see this as a small but meaningful part of the disaster response. We’re here to share kindness and hope through pizza and a smile.”

The pizzas were made fresh on the truck, with a local crew from Shelby, North Carolina, Little Caesars supplying the people power and the ingredients. Over the four days of service in Black Mountain, the Love Kitchen served more than 3,400 slices in the drive-thru line.

After the last car drove through for the final slice, the Love Kitchen had one more stop: to deliver a hot pizza and a smile to Joe.