MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Mark Mangiardi, owner of Leo's Pizza shows off a cheese pizza at the Williams Street pizzaria recently.

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many everyday life stressors have been heightened, from leaving the house and getting home without being exposed to being able to afford groceries while unemployed, and much more.

These stressors hit harder for those working on the frontlines, like hospital and nursing home staff, as well as families with young children in school.

Mark Mangiardi, owner of Leo’s Pizzeria on William Street in the city, took it upon himself to gather his employees and make hundreds of pizzas for some local employees and children to take one slice of stress off their shoulders.

“I did this to kind of lift their spirits and know that they are in our thoughts,” Mangiardi said.

He has given over 550 pizzas to Milton Nursing Home, Jersey Shore Manor Care and Elmcroft Assisted Living, 90 pizzas to Central Elementary School in South Williamsport and over 70 pizzas to UPMC Williamsport during their laboratory week.

“All of the nursing homes were hit really hard with it (COVID),” he said. “It made me feel good. Some of the nurses were crying. To me, it is just pizza but we never really looked at the understanding from their point of view.”

“Mark is a great person,” Devin Heimbach, Milton Nursing Home activities director said. “He gave us over 100 pizzas and soda and chips…it was so helpful. This was almost a shock when you walked into the room … to know that he got up and prepped them and then made them and drove them all to us. It showed a lot of who he is as a person, a giving person. It took a layer of stress off of everyone.”

“When you’re working all day, you don’t think to stop. It was really nice that the community was giving back,” he added.

Jessie Fogleman, UPMC Williamsport Laboratory Services lead medical technologist, had a similar experience.

“He just seemed like he wanted to help in the way he knew how to help,” she said. “People talked about it for weeks.”

She said that Mangiardi and his team made 75 personal pizzas for the laboratory week at the hospital.

“We had people dancing in the hallways holding their pizzas,” Fogleman said. “It was just smiles everywhere. At a time where everyone was hurting, he just kept giving. I think it really brought everybody together. Everyone was so excited and appreciative. He was awesome.”

Leo’s even helped with a stress relieving pizza and a movie day at Central Elementary School.

“The kids were really excited about it,” said Principal Michele Loomis. “It meant a lot to the kids and the staff and we know it took a lot of work and we appreciate it … thank you.”

She even said that when he came in with over 90 pizzas, he was even covered in flour.

“And we aren’t done yet. I haven’t stopped all year,” Mangiardi continued.

He also said that he is even taking $1 on every large pizza and donating it to causes related to veterans.

Even just one slice — or hundreds of slices — of pizza can bring a smile and a breath of relief during a pandemic.