Hot Italian, barely in business a month, and just today profiled for its environmental construction in Sacramento Press, has already taken on a subject more serious than pizzas and motos, and more pressing than even the environment: humanitarian aid.

Today, the new restaurant's owners, Andrea Lepore and Nicola Rivieccio, announced that tomorrow evening, Thursday, April 9, the restaurant will be donating 100 percent of its net proceeds to a fund just established for victims of Monday's devastating 6.3 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy, 56 miles from Rome.

The fund, the NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund, set up by the National Italian American Foundation in Washington, DC, will then send the money to Italian relief organizations.  Some 260 people are reported dead, with another 15 or so still unaccounted for, in the earthquake, which struck early Monday morning.  More than 10,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and 28,000 people are homeless.  The damage has been estimated at $1.6 billion, a figure that is expected to rise.

Thursday's fundraiser will take place at Hot Italian, at the corner of 16th and Q Streets in midtown, from 5-9 p.m.  The net proceeds from all purchases of wine, beer, pizza, or gelato will be given by the restaurant to the relief fund.  Hot Italian is also taking checks, made out to NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund, which it will forward to the national organization.  All donations are tax-deductable.

Lepore and Rivieccio are encouraging anyone who can't make it to Hot Italian Thursday night to send a check to the NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund, The National Italian American Foundation, 1860 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009.