Chef Helps Pay Off Student Lunch Debts At Toms River School

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Christian Coronato spends much of his days making healthy meals for clients of his meal prep company.

Coronato, a chef and the owner of Coronato's Clean Cuisine also is a parent who knows how important it is for kids to be fed, and how much it means to help others.

That's why Coronato recently dropped off a check for $1,200 at Silver Bay Elementary School, where he attended years ago, to pay off the lunch debts of students in need at the school.

"Life has been hard for so many people the last few years," Coronato told officials with the Toms River Regional Schools. "But my mom always told us to look for the ways people help. Growing up we didn’t have much — my brother, sister and I started working at a very young age. And we had to earn our way through the world."

"A few years back, I was able to open a small, healthy meal prep company locally. Part of our motive is to be able to give back to the community and feed everyone," said Coronato, who has a child attending Silver Bay.

Coronato's Clean Cuisine offers fully cooked meals, meal prep and bulk items for purchase.

Silver Bay Principal Anna Kasper was extremely grateful for the gesture, as was Food Services Director Jeff Hanaway and Assistant Superintendent James Ricotta, who was Coronato's teacher years ago and called him a good guy.

"The students at Silver Bay will be more than appreciative of your kindness," Hanaway said.

"I'm just very happy to be in a position to be able to give back," Coronato said.