Baton Rouge, La.—In celebration of Mother’s Day, thousands of school children in communities where Rotolo’s Pizzeria operates will gift tomato plants to their moms, all thanks to the Rotolo’s Homegrown Love for Mom program put on by the Louisiana-based restaurant franchise.

Rotolo’s has been buying back its famous plastic cups from customers in April during National Recycling Month. The cup buyback program offers Rotolo’s customers free pizza in exchange for their Rotolo’s cups. In its fifth year, the success of the Rotolo’s Homegrown Love for Mom program has grown significantly generating more than 10,000 recycled cups, which were repurposed as environmentally-friendly Mother’s Day gifts for moms living in the communities that Rotolo’s serves. One lucky school participating in this year’s Rotolo’s Homegrown Love for Mom program will receive a grant to start a school garden.

“We value and appreciate our customers, and we demonstrate that through community involvement,” said Mitch Rotolo, founder and CEO of Rotolo’s Pizzeria. “Programs such as Homegrown Love for Mom provide us with the opportunity to give back to the community, share our passion for pizza, and give hard-working moms a gift they can share with their families.”

The Rotolo’s Homegrown Love For Mom program is a simple concept that touches people in so many ways. Teachers are given the support to teach students about gardening, healthy eating, and recycling. Children are able to participate in a fun activity to create Mother’s Day gifts, and moms receive a gift they can share with their families. Together, family members can nurture the plant, watch it grow, and ultimately, enjoy the tomatoes it produces.

Nearly 10,000 students at 50 participating schools will receive the tomato plants from April 28 to May 9, just in time for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11.

 

About Rotolo’s Pizzeria
In 1996, Mitch Rotolo opened the first Rotolo’s Pizzeria in Baton Rouge, La. just outside Louisiana State University’s campus. Through the will and loyalty of its customers, the casual Italian restaurant has since grown into a successful franchise with more than 29 locations across Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida with many more coming soon. Rotolo’s strives to live up to its long-standing reputation for providing tasty, authentic Italian cuisine in a casual, family-friendly environment. Rotolo’s is proud to be the official pizza of the New Orleans Saints.