John Lennon once wrote a song called “Imagine.” The essence of his words is about the possibility of all people living life in peace. He asks people to join up and the world will live as one.

I believe “join up,” as Lennon writes, is the coming together of people to help one another, especially the less fortunate.

In downtown Norwich, the homeless walk our sidewalks every day. They walk past our restaurants, businesses and homes. They linger on the street with eyes searching through a vast space of hopelessness.

Many see, and feel bad, while others take action.

This brings me to the subject of a local Italian restaurant in Norwich called La Stella Pizzeria. I have come to know the owner and family through book signings and appearances at the restaurant. I will explain how the owner takes action to help the less fortunate and share encounters with the homeless. Some stories are successful, while others are bittersweet.

Let’s start at the beginning.

From 2012 to 2019, Justin Burrows worked for Geno Auriemma’s restaurant. He had a dream of one day opening his own restaurant in memory of his Uncle Lefty. Uncle Lefty was his hero, as he was a staunch supporter of the homeless and often said, “Be generous and give with a pure heart.”

In 2019, Justin’s dream became a reality when he purchased La Stella Pizzeria. From the beginning Justin wanted La Stella to be a cornerstone of the community. He wanted to be a role model that other restaurants and businesses would follow.

But hard times came in 2020, until he met a kindred spirit named Jason Vincent. Jason was president of the Norwich Community Development Corp. He believed in the same philosophy as Justin. He welcomed the homeless and helped them at every opportunity… and he helped Justin succeed.

The dream Justin envisioned was that every homeless person who came into La Stella Pizzeria for a meal would be fed. The La Stella Italian Market (his other place of business) also donates daily to the soup kitchen. So, the dream became a reality.

The homeless are not only given a meal, but counsel as well.

There are many memories of the homeless. I will start with Rachel (all names changed for privacy).

Rachel was a prostitute who came in every day for a meal. She became friends with Justin and his sister Ashley. Justin would pose the same questions: “What’s going to happen to you? How long can you live like this?” Through comforting food and love, Rachel eventually went to a woman’s shelter and detox.

It has been years, and to this day, she still keeps in touch.

Sometimes help does not turn out as well as expected. Take Marcus, the homeless gentleman who used to come into the restaurant and demand to be waited upon. The staff were patient. Most homeless people need help not only physically, but emotionally. The day came when he demanded cash. He was refused and eventually, like all too many, disappeared.

Some stories about the homeless are sad, yet laced with humor. Sometimes our humor helps hold our faith. There was Steve, a crack addict, who would give the restaurant counterfeit money and expect change back. One day he was chased by the police, but Justin did not file charges.

Another time it was winter. Justin saw him at McDonald’s shivering and gave him an expensive pair of earmuffs he was wearing. Later he discovered Steve sold them on the street.

The bottom line is the homeless deserve to be treated with dignity, deserving to eat the same food as the rest of us.

In 2016, world-renowned Italian chef of the three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana looked beyond fine dining to stir up societal changes. He believes every restaurant at the end of the day has food that is wasted. Why not give this food away rather than throw it away?

In 2016, Massimo Bottura was voted the number one chef in the world. He has a global movement to feed the poor and cut food waste. In his restaurants, meals are free of charge for people in need. Bottura’s Refettorios are not restaurants in the typical sense. They are more like soup kitchens. The homeless are treated to the same fine dining and beautiful settings as regular patrons.

Imagine. The concept is real. Why not join up and let the world live as one?

Concetta Falcone-Codding is a 1971 graduate of the Norwich Free Academy and is the author of “The Lonely Nest.” You can contact her at: sarah_falcone@yahoo.com.