A few months ago, Dawn, a reader of “Comfy in the Kitchen” brought this story to my attention. I was so touched and felt it very necessary to share it with you.
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” ~1 Timothy 6:18
“Making sure motel kids don’t go hungry”-CNN.com
Anaheim, California (CNN)
In the shadows of Disneyland, often referred to as the “happiest place on Earth,” many children are living a reality that’s far from carefree.
They are living in cheap motels more commonly associated with drug dealers, prostitutes and illicit affairs.
It’s the only option for many families that are struggling financially and can’t scrape together a deposit for an apartment. By living week to week in these cramped quarters, they stay one step ahead of homelessness.
Some people are stuck, they have no money. They need to live in that room,” said Bruno Serato, a local chef and restaurateur. “They’ve lost everything they have. They have no other chance. No choice.”
While “motel kids” are found across the United States, the situation is very common in Orange County, California, a wealthy community with high rents and a large number of old motels. In 2009, local authorities estimated that more than 1,000 families lived in these conditions.
When Serato learned that these children often go hungry, he began serving up assistance, one plate at a time. To date, he’s served more than 270,000 pasta dinners — for free — to those in need.
“Kids should not be suffering,” Serato said. “[I had] to do something.”
Serato, 55, has always given back to the community where he achieved his American dream. When the Italian immigrant arrived in the U.S. 30 years ago, his poor English skills forced him to settle for a job as a dishwasher. But within five years, he had become chef and owner of the Anaheim White House, an Italian restaurant that is now a local hot spot.
In 2003, he created Caterina’s Club, which raises money for underprivileged children. The charity is named after Serato’s mother, who taught him how to cook at the family’s trattoria in Verona, Italy. Video: Life of a ‘motel kid’
When she came to California in 2005 to visit her son, he took her to the local Boys & Girls Club, the main recipient of the charity’s funds. There, they saw a small boy eating a bag of potato chips and learned that this snack was his supper.
Bruno said his mother was shocked by the boy’s meager meal. She had raised seven children and always made sure food was on the dinner table, even during the lean years after World War II.
“My mama … her whole life was to feed kids,” he said.
The Seratos found out that the boy lived in a motel with his family. The situation was so common in the area that the Anaheim Boys & Girls Club had a “motel kids” program, where vans pick up the children after school and drop them off at the motels every night. While these children receive free breakfast and lunch through school programs, their parents often don’t have the resources to give them dinner.
Caterina found it unacceptable that the children would go to bed without supper. Speaking in rapid Italian, she made her feelings clear to her son.
“Mom said, ‘Bruno, you must feed them the pasta!’ ” Serato recalled.
When he discovered that this meant feeding around 70 children, he demurred. But his mother insisted. He went back to his restaurant and prepared 70 pasta dinners to serve at the club.
His mother helped him that first night, and Serato has maintained the ritual nearly every night for more than six years — even through the recession.
The economic downturn was a challenge, though. Serato lost 30% to 40% of his customers, and the number of children he fed each night more than doubled. He often found himself giving away more meals than he served in his restaurant, and he was forced to refinance his home to keep going. But Serato found that his work with the children helped sustain him, at least on a personal level.
“So many nights … it was not too many customers,” he said. “[To] know that I served 150 kids … it made me feel better.”
Today, Serato’s business has rebounded, and his program feeds nearly 200 children, in two locations, seven days a week. He also pays for drivers to transport the kids to the Boys & Girls Club, and he has purchased another van. All told, he estimates that the endeavor costs him around $2,000 a month.
Michael Baker, the executive director of the Anaheim Boys & Girls Club, says many of the “motel kids” he serves depend on Serato’s meals. He also relishes the irony of the situation.
“These are some of the poorest kids in Anaheim eating from one of the most exclusive restaurants every night,” he said. “I love that!”
Carlos Gomez, 12, has lived in a motel room with his family — a total of six people — for almost his entire life. He and his younger brother Anthony often eat Serato’s pasta, and his father, Martin, says it’s a relief to know that his children can get a free meal.
“I no longer worry as much, about them [coming home] and there being no food,” he said. “I know that they eat over there at [the] Boys & Girls Club.”
This spring, Serato plans to expand his program to an additional 100 kids a night, and he will partner with another organization to give 100 children three meals a day.
He is also calling on other restaurants around the country to work together to feed “motel kids.” He believes that providing just a few dinners a night could make a significant difference.
“Every restaurant in the country — Chinese, Indian, Mexican, French — let’s do it all together,” Serato said. “We would have no hungry children.”
Serato’s love for the children is clear, but he’s quick to give all of the credit to his beloved “mama” back in Italy. Although she suffers from Parkinson’s disease, he still talks to her via Skype every morning and believes that if she knew how their work has grown, she would be proud.
Although his mother made him start the work, he now says he could never stop helping the children.
“They’re customers,” he says with a smile. “My favorite customers.”
Chef Bruno, what a blessing you are to these children. I pray God gives you the means to provide meals for them for many years to come. I also pray that you are planting seeds in others to do the same
(perhaps even in the children you are feeding!) Also praying for the families and children who are struggling in your area. It brings me such a joy to know you are a vessel in answering prayers. WOW.
Love to you, Janelle
Please e-mail me at JMNehrenz@me.com to be a guest blogger on Meal Ministry Mondays. I would love to show off your love for the Lord and His people!
I am participating at Living Well Wednesdays and Titus 2sdays!
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What a touching/inspiring post…it really touched me! Thank you Janelle. {lisa…thepearsonfamilee.blogspot.com}
All I can say is wow!
Tears are uncontrollably coming down may face. I can see clearly how God moves people in these fallen world to take care of His kids, so they can eat, have a friendly face and even someone showing them what His´ grace is all about!
I´m really touched! Thanx for posting Janelle! Blessings!!!!
Priscilla…I couldn't have said it better myself 😉 Amazing, isn't it?
Hi Janelle!
I came by your blog for a visit. You are spot on with this post. I live in Orange county, California. I get frusterated with people asking us to send other countries money, when there are so many people in our own backyards in need of that very help.
Some people are one paycheck away from being homeless:(
Julieann
http://juliean-mylife.blogspot.com/
P.S. I am not anonymous..LOL..Your blog will not let me comment under my google account:(
Julieann
Julieann, a man with MS who was paralyzed from the waist down once told me "You don't have to look very far to find someone who has it worse" …wow, so true.
I've been thinking about this since I read it the other night and I have to say that, while I really admire and support what this man is doing, I wish we could see / build more 'teach them to fish' ministries for these kids and their families. Give them the tools and knowledge to save and budget, and cook and clean so that the process of breaking the poverty cycle begins. Maybe, instead of just the kids going for a meal they could go to an afterschool program and make simple inexpensive but healthy meals to bring home for their families or something. Maybe with some -even small -parental money paid in and some subsidized so that the family money is not strained and neither is the tax payers, but both are used wisely.
Angie, "Teach them to fish" sounds like a wonderful ministry! I those ideas you shared! I think Chef Bruno is simply using his gift and getting enjoyment out of giving. He also pays for children's instrument lessons and ballet lessons. A very giving man. With so many awful stories being highlighted in the world today, isn't it so refreshing to hear of one like this?! Love to you, Janelle
Awesome video for meal ministry Mondays! Love what he's doing.
What an awesome way to fulfill Christ's command
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:14 KJV)
As Bruno Serato recently said in an interview with Swiss Street Media "talk does nothing, action action" how true that is. So many complain but do not take action. Read about Bruno http://www.yudu.com/item/details/341774/Swiss-Street
Thank you Grammy..JP, SO true. Love it.