Primavera owner Jerry Gaita comes from a long line of great cooks who give back. His grandfather fed American soldiers in Italy in World War II, and his mother baked bread for her community during the Blizzard of 78.
“Mom and Dad, they just would take care of people,” Gaita told Boston 25 News anchor Mark Ockerbloom. “A little flour, yeast, sprinkle a little bit of her love, it was magic to us”.
When the Coronavirus pandemic forced his Millis restaurant to close its dining room, he found his own way to pay it forward and keep some of his employees working.
In honor of his mother who passed away in May, the restaurant is providing “Mamma Maria’s Care Packages”. The restaurant provides meals to those who need them right now: doctors, nurses, first responders, the elderly or families having trouble making ends meet.
“They’re going to have to decide, ‘Do I pay the utility bill or do I buy a meal,’" Gaita said. “They don’t have to worry about dinner because an angel brought them a care package.”
Angels are patrons who make donations to sponsor a meal or volunteer to deliver them to area hospitals, senior centers, or neighbors.
Gaita’s niece and restaurant public relations voice Cara Szczebak says, so far Primavera has delivered more than 500 meals.
“Our healthcare heroes on the frontlines are putting themselves out there for us every day - we wanted to do what we do best... which is cook! And find a way to really pay it forward,” Szczebak said.
Easter through June is typically the restaurant’s busiest time, so Gaita says the ability to save jobs and keep spirits up is important right now.
“They're feeling great because they're coming into work and doing something that is really helping the community,” Gaita said.
He shared Mamma Maria’s advice for getting through tough times:
“She would always tell me if I was stressing or worried, it's okay to be afraid because you need to have fear to be courageous. Put one foot in front of the other - one day at a time you'll get through it,” Gaita recalls. “My dad would say, ‘Better days are coming’ and that's what we hope for.”
If you’d like to contribute to Mamma Maria’s Care packages, click here or visit Primavera’s website.
$100 sponsors meals for 10 doctors or nurses.
$50 sponsors a large family meal.
The restaurant is still open for take out several days each week.
Primavera has been open for 30 years, and one of their most loyal customers is a local dog named Charlie. Mamma Maria always used to feed him a meatball when he was out for a walk. Boston 25 News captured the sweet moment when Jerry Gaita saw Charlie. It’s hard to tell who made whose day more.
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