Pizzaiolo and philanthropist Tony Gemignani has teamed up with the San Francisco Giants to launch their eighth annual fundraiser in support of George Mark Children’s House (GMCH). The first free-standing pediatric palliative care house in the U.S., GMCH offers life-affirming care and comfort for children and their families.
Giving back locally is a priority for the Bay Area native, who is a world-renowned restauranteur and 13-time World Pizza Champion. For this year’s event, Gemignani collaborated with SF Giants pitcher Logan Webb and outfielder Michael Conforto to craft special seasonal pizzas highlighting each player’s favorite toppings. The Webb’s Double Sausage features tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian sausage, sliced link sausage, Cup & Char pepperoni, red onions, Romano, oregano, and garlic oil. Meanwhile, Conforto’s Grand Slam is topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, Cup & Char pepperoni, Romano cheese, oregano, and garlic oil, plus serrano peppers and housemade hot honey for a spicy twist.
$1 from each slice and $6 from each full pie sold will be donated to GMCH, which provides respite, transitional, and end of life care. The 15,000-square-foot facility in San Leandro offers private and family suites, gardens, a great room, family-style dining areas, and spaces for play, art, music, movement, hydrotherapy, and more.
The partnership first began when Gemignani met Barbara Sardella, the longtime chef at GMCH. Gemignani’s visits to the facility to toss and make pizzas for the kids evolved into a near-decade-long partnership that has raised upwards of $225,000 for GMCH. “It’s all about doing good things for a great organization like George Mark [Children’s House],” said Gemignani. “It’s a very special place. When you go there and see the kids and the families and what they do…it’s a beautiful thing.”
The SF Giants’ limited-edition New York style pizzas supporting GMCH will be available at Tony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Slice House and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco’s North Beach, as well as Slice House by Tony Gemignani locations on Haight Street and in Belmont, Walnut Creek, San Leandro, Folsom, and Mountain View, through mid-September.
