Eating pizza and helping the community go hand-in-hand for the folks at Ruffino’s Pasta Bar & Grill.

On Monday, the Ruffino’s team presented the Niagara-on-the-Lake Youth Collective with a cheque of $3,000 raised to support them in their early stages of programming. 

Throughout December, the restaurant held “Make A Pizza With Santa” on Sundays, an opportunity for kids to make their own food and grab a picture with St. Nick.

The proceeds from the fun winter event benefited the new NOTL Youth Collective. 

Caroline Polgrabia, chair of the NOTL Youth Collective planning committee, expressed thanks for the “unbelievable community support” the program has received.

“Having a community-minded business like Ruffino’s donate and dedicate their proceeds to the program in its concept stages, tells us we are on the right path,” she said in an email.