Every December in Kingston, Santa’s Slices turns simple slices of pizza into moments of comfort for people who need it most. The community campaign is led by local Pizza Pizza franchisee Jimmy Hassan, who has been giving back through food for years.
Earlier in December, Jimmy shared that this year’s goal was between five and six thousand slices, with almost three thousand already donated partway through the month. The campaign runs all month, from December 1 to 31, and even continues on Christmas Day. “We never close,” Jimmy explained. “This year we are going to open just to collect the slices for people living in Belle Park, because everything is closed around. We will make sure they have at least lunch or dinner.”
The idea is simple. Anyone can donate at Pizza Pizza, 277 Bath Road, for one dollar per slice, with no maximum. You can also donate online at https://www.zeffy.com/.../dona.../project-santa-slices--2025
Every dollar they donate is a slice,” Jimmy said. “At the end of the week, we accumulate all the slices, then we cook and deliver.” Donors who give one hundred dollars or more are invited into the kitchen to help prepare the pizzas and can suggest a charity to receive them. Slices go to organizations across the city, including Lunch by George, Martha’s Table, Sandwich Depot, women’s and youth shelters, transitional housing and people living rough.
For first-time donor Abbas Rana, the campaign offered a meaningful way to live his values. “I believe in charity, I believe in helping others, I believe in helping the needy,” he said. He had been following the project and stepped in when Jimmy opened it up to community donations. “I just grabbed this opportunity because the campaign is directly close to the needy.”
As the campaign nears its final stretch, Jimmy is proud to see the community’s generosity in action. He notes that next week is the last week of the campaign and they are on track to reach seven thousand slices, above the original target of six thousand. Thanks to donors who contributed the equivalent of 5,900 slices and Jimmy’s own contribution of 1,100 dollars, thousands of neighbours will feel a little warmer and more cared for this holiday season.
