NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – A North Myrtle Beach pizzeria will successfully pay off school lunch debt for three elementary schools with the help of sizable donations.
Derrick Nunziante is the owner of The Main Slice on Main Street.
During the month of November, Nunziante dedicated 20% of all sales made to help relieve Waterway Elementary School’s lunch debt.
“Ever since you guys did the story on us we got an immediate response. That night I was getting constant phone calls and messages from people telling us how great they are and how they can help,” said Nunziante.
The story got the attention of NFL Carolina Panthers player, Temarrick Hemingway.
“[Hemingway] is such a great young man. Loves his community and wants to do anything to get involved. So after a few phone conversations with him we decided instead of just doing one elementary school lets do all three that are in the area,” said Nunziante.
Hemingway made a sizable donation to help cover lunch debt for Riverside, Ocean Drive, and Waterway Elementary schools.
Nunziante says a donation made by his business partner will make sure the schools will have zero debt going into the new year.
“My business partner, Chris Efaw, who also owns Chris’ Pizza and Pub – he made a large donation of $1,000 to make sure that could be done,” said Nunziante.
So far The Main Slice has made close to $10,000 in sales and donations combined.
“You know the kids are our future. They’re everyone’s future so we’re here to help instill and take care of them. And this is just one way of being able to help them and show them that a community can rally behind them,” said North Myrtle Beach Councilwoman Nikki Fontana.
Nunziante says the Horry County community stepped up in a huge way.
“I was not aware of how much people would step up and that was completely humbling. Especially around Thanksgiving time for people to be giving. With the holidays coming up money is tight for everybody. But everyone wanted to step up and help the kids of the community and that’s been a blessing within itself,” said Nunziante.
Fontana wants to remind parents that lunch assistance programs are available. Follow this link sign-up for free or reduced lunch within the Horry County Schools district.
