[Editor’s note: Celeste Ribeiro wrote an excellent article on the role Spinelli’s, a well established East Boston institution, responded to the Covid-19 crisis in East Boston by addressing the neighborhood’s food insecurity problem.]
“Spinelli’s Ravioli Mfg. Co. Inc. has been a neighborhood institution in East Boston for over 57 years, and we have been able to bank on our reputation and the loyalty of our customers. Because of that, we have enjoyed growth and a great deal of evolution since changing ownership in 1983, from our inauspicious beginnings as a corner pasta shop feeding the working masses in East Boston, to a bakery and purveyor of prepared take-out items, to a full-fledged function facility and beloved event venue with two locations. As 2020 neared, we were in the process of unveiling our extensive renovations to our Lynnfield venue and preparing for a banner year – particularly for weddings. Then the pandemic hit.
In a matter of weeks, life came to a screeching halt for the event, catering, and food service industries. Our operations were limited primarily to serving other frontline employees, and our perennial meals on wheels program for the elderly became more important than ever. Our once-bustling 24/7/365 business slowed down to a trickle. We were fortunate not to have to lay anyone off. As demand slowed, our resources pivoted to implementing guidelines and determining how we could most effectively meet the needs of our customers and our community.”
Read more at Commonwealth Magazine
