What’s the history of Erbelli’s and what kind of pizza do you make?

Greg: We’ve been around for 27 years. I started the business when I was just 23, in 1995. We make a gourmet pizza with heavy toppings and creative flavor combinations. We’ve won over 65 awards throughout the years.

What’s your favorite pizza at the restaurant?

Greg: My favorite pizza is the 'Twisted Sista' - our homemade alfredo base, spicy Q It Up Chicken (grilled and seasoned on a wood grill in our back parking lot), smoked Gouda cheese, button mushrooms, apple wood bacon, mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, outside pizza crust is finished with our in house whipped garlic butter.

What is Slices for Hunger and how did it begin?

Greg: We started it about 4 years ago. People can buy an extra slice for the community so when someone comes in looking for a meal we can provide it to them. I saw a place in Philadelphia (Rosa’s) doing it and asked if we could have permission to do the same. The owner agreed and the rest is history! We do this because an estimated 15% of Kalamazoo residents -- including over 10,000 children -- are classified as food insecure. Since we started the program, we’ve provided over 10,000 slices to people in need.

How has your community responded to this campaign?

Greg: It’s been amazing, everybody loves it.

Do you engage with the community in other ways?

Greg: We donate to random events just like any pizzeria. We offer a military scholarship for our local university, Western Michigan University. The Erbelli’s Military Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship available to military members currently serving, those who have previously served and their dependents. This $1,000 scholarship awards $500 in the fall and $500 in the spring semesters of the awarded year.

What is your ultimate goal for the pizzeria in terms of how your community views it?

Greg: Our community has supported us through the good times and the bad. We like to do the same for them.