Mici Handcrafted Italian, Denver’s popular fast-casual spot for hand-crafted Italian fare, amps up their already robust charitable giving program, Dining for Dollars, by donating 20 percent of all proceeds when guests mention ‘Urban Peak’ on November 14, at all four locations, to local organization Urban Peak.

Urban Peak is the only non-profit organization in Denver that provides a full convergence of services for youth ages 15 through 24 experiencing homelessness, or are at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Their goal is to help these youth overcome real life challenges and become self-sufficient adults.

In honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Week, Mici will donate 20 percent of proceeds from all four locations to Urban Peak on Tuesday, November 14—dine-in, carryout and delivery. Guests must mention ‘Urban Peak’ or enter ‘Urban Peak’ in the notes when placing delivery orders online.

Says Chris Venable, Education and Employment Supervisor at Urban Peak, “National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an important time for Urban Peak and we are incredibly grateful to Mici for hosting this event for us. Mici has been, and continues to be, a wonderful employment partner, igniting and empowering youth in our programs to exit homelessness and create self-determined, fulfilled lives.”

Mici has been fortunate to be able to support Urban Peak in a variety of ways for the last 13 years, with the biggest contribution being employing their youth—not many businesses are willing to take a chance on at-risk and homeless youth employees.

It is a partnership that requires some extra effort on Mici’s part—they collaborate with each youth’s caseworker to provide the support that they need to be successful—but is well worth the endeavor.

Mici provides stable employment for Urban Peak youths who have been through their job readiness training. Mici provides the youth with special support to gain skills that will help them be successful in the workplace and in life. Mici also provides 50% off of Urban Peak’s catering orders for their GED graduation ceremonies each year, and a team of volunteers from Mici helps serve at these events.

“Our partnership with Urban Peak is such an important one,” says partner and Brand Manager Kim Miceli. “I have been working with them since 1999, when I was the Homeless Liaison for Denver Public Schools. We are so pleased to be able to continue serving this at-risk community in such a meaningful way with our family’s business.”

Aside from serving delicious handcrafted Italian food for the last thirteen years, Mici is most proud of serving each community of which they are a part. It has become Mici’s mission to provide community support to organizations who share Mici’s commitment to children’s education, health and welfare.

In 2016, Mici’s Dining for Dollars program raised more than $10,000; and so far in 2017 Mici has donated over 1,000 pizzas and more than $7,000 in in-kind donations to schools and other non-profit agencies that serve children. Some of the organizations that have benefited from the Dining for Dollars program over the years include the Kids Compassion Project, Hope Kids Colorado, and countless neighborhood schools.