Stepping Stones Celebrates a Successful Partnership with Pizza Hut

Date posted: December 15, 2016

Stepping Stones board member Julie Richardson, board president John Mongelluzzo, CFL Pizza vice president of operations Adam Mitchell and Stepping Stones executive director Chris Adams. (From left to right)

On December 14th, Stepping Stones and CFL Pizza celebrated the latest milestone in their growing partnership with a reception at the UCP Campus in Norwood. The local Pizza Hut franchisee presented Stepping Stones executive director Chris Adams with $10,000 check. 

This fall, the partnership began with Pizza Hut managers and employees across the Tri-State volunteering at all four Stepping Stones locations. They hoisted rakes and shovels to complete landscaping projects and partnered with participants in the technology lab as they assembled their latest newsletter. As well, the Milford and Norwood stores opened their kitchen doors to participants of Stepping Stones’ Adult Day and Step-Up programs. Touring teens and adults with disabilities through their commercial kitchens, trained Pizza Hut staff demonstrated how orders are managed and assembled and guided participants through the preparation of personal pan pizzas. 

Time, Talent and Treasure

“They have not only given their time as volunteers and their talent as they welcomed our participants into their facilities,” said Stepping Stones executive director Chris Adams, “We are now the beneficiaries of their treasure.” 

The $10,000 donation was the outcome of a successful two-week fundraising campaign in October. 31 Greater Cincinnati Pizza Huts collected and matched donations to benefit Stepping Stones’ programs. CFL Pizza Human Resources Manager Ruth Carabello shared that everyone got into the spirit, with stores competing against each other to see who could raise the most donations. The Batesville Pizza Hut was recognized as the top collecting store.  

“Stepping Stones does such wonderful work,” said Kelsey Miller of the Batesville location. “We were honored to be able to help.”

Thank you to CFL Pizza and all of their employees for sharing their time, talents and treasure with Stepping Stones. We look forward to our partnership continuing in 2017, with another campaign scheduled in the spring! 



Take a look back at Pizza Hut managers and employees volunteering at Stepping Stones locations this fall, here!