Seth Leonard

sleonard@salisburypost.com

Rowan County boasts a large number of churches, one of the highest concentrations in the state, and at least one of them also is making an impact on the economy.

Cornerstone Church recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of an ambitious venture, Mamma Mia's Pizza-n-More.

The restaurant on Webb Road began when the church decided to build a new kitchen for the congregation. The price for the new facility was well over $100,000, and leaders wondered how they could get the most out of it. Facilities at many churches are relatively unused during weekdays and nights.

The idea for a pizzeria seemed logical, and it would only cost a few thousand more to make it a reality.

Today, Mamma Mia's does a substantial business, both delivering and offering pizzas for pickup. The key is that instead of lining the pockets of advertisers or franchise owners, this restaurant donates profits to charity.

In the last 12 months, Cornerstone's restaurant has raised about $25,000 for local nonprofit organizations. Only the food prices and wages are deducted from the company's total donations. Wages don't cut too much from the total because Mamma Mia's is usually only staffed by two people.

The operation is professional. Pizzas are delivered in heat-insulated bags, like any other pizza joint. To help get off on the right foot, the store's first manager was a trouble shooter, a 10-year veteran of Domino's.

There are no advertisements for the the place, but there is a new sign in front of the church. The LED display is the first of its kind in the county and can show everything from phone numbers to videos.

Pastor Bill Godair is the pizzeria's spokesman. He is excited about the good that pizza is doing for the community.

"We're not so naive to think we're gonna compete with Domino's and Papa Johns," he said. "We know better than that. But we are sparking some growth in the county."

It's not all about giving money away, either. The restaurant employs several people, young and old, as delivery people and pizza chefs.

Cornerstone also operates four daycare centers. According to Godair, they began with one, but as local centers faced bankruptcy, they asked Cornerstone to buy them out and maintain the services. All told, the church now employs more than 70 people through all the different ventures.

"What if every church tried to create 10 jobs?" asked Godair. "Creativity is on the inside of every one of us. How many millionaires will be created during this economic downturn?"

Cornerstone's congregation is diverse. Of the 600 weekly members, 40 percent are white, 40 percent are black, and the rest are everything from Pacific Islanders to Eastern Europeans.

What do you think? Post your comment below.