38 MARCH 2020 Randy Mills By Miriam Cruson Fifteen years ago, Arcadia-based business man Randall Mills had the opportunity to participate in a program called Collaboration for a New Century. This program paired nonprofits with people in the business world so that they could work together and help nonprofits become more successful. It was from this partnership that The Phoenix Suit Project was born. Working in the business sector, Mills understands the connection between wearing suits and the power they can yield. He believes how a person is dressed can bolster his or her confidence and directly affect how that person feels on the inside. Mills wanted to help and asked other business people to donate their suits to be given to nonprofits that provide professional men’s clothing to those who are looking to rejoin the workforce. “A lot of times those suits have sentimental value and they don’t want to part with them,” Mills said. He realized that if he assured people that the suits would go directly to those who could benefit from them and not end up on a rack to be resold or sent to the landfill, they would be on board. “I did not want to start a nonprofit and fight for the same money, so I started this charitable foundation to run alongside the nonprofits,” Mills said. The Phoenix Suit Project collects the suits and gives them directly to a nonprofit that has the shared goal of giving deserving recipients a “hand up, not a hand out,” Mills said. “It’s more than a suit; it’s the first step to a second chance.” The Phoenix Suit Project was launched in 2017 and has held three fundraising events so far. This past November was their largest fundraiser to date, where 475 suits were collected and donated to local nonprofit St. Joseph the Worker, whose objective is to “help remove barriers by providing the resources necessary to gain and maintain employment.” St. Joseph works one-on-one with clients who are seeking employment. They help prepare resumes or applications and aid with the job search, which is where The Phoenix Suit Project comes into play – providing clients with clothing to help them make the best first impression at an interview. St. Joseph then offers employment support once a job is obtained. During the 2018-19 fiscal year, St. Joseph helped over 3,800 clients obtain gainful employment. For more: thephoenixsuitproject.org. The Phoenix Suit Project helps men dress for success SURPRISINGLY AFFORDABLE ARE YOU READY FOR THE R-22 CHANGE? Home Owners: R-22 refrigerant is being phased out January 1, 2020. If you have an older unit, call us to get your refrigerant charge checked out! Heating & Cooling Service Since 1947 Arcadia Office: 4713 N. 44th St, Phoenix AZ 85018 Main Office: 1121 N Sickles Dr ,Tempe AZ 85281 MAINTAIN YOUR SYSTEM Scottsdale Air Family Executive Maintenance Plan Professionally Maintained by Scottsdale Air Heating & Cooling $89 SPRING TUNE UP Restrictions may apply. Expires 4/30/20 FREE ADMISSION FOR LOOKERS & SPECTATORS! EXHIBITOR REGISTRATION FEE (donation): $25 Acceptable show entries include: Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, and specialty vehicles like Ice Cream Trucks, Military Vehicles, Trailers, Lawn Mowers, Tractors, Scooters, etc. Exhibitor staging begins at 6:30 a.m. Trophies Include: “Best in Show” (Judges Choice) and “Best in Arcadia” (People’s Choice). The “Best in Arcadia” award includes front page “bragging rights” published in the May edition of the Arcadia Central newsletter. Note: Anyone from anywhere, can enter almost anything on wheels… all are welcome. For more information: www.acmna.org/events/arcadia-auto-rama FREE ADMISSION FOR LOOKERS & SPECTATORS! Saturday, April 4, 2020 – 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. 4225 N. 56th St., Phoenix AZ 85018 (LDS Church) Saturday, April 4, 2020 – 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. 4225 N. 56th St., Phoenix AZ 85018 (LDS Church) 4225 N. 56th St., Phoenix AZ 85018 (LDS Church) Saturday, April 4, 2020 – 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

39 MARCH 2020 recipes comes from a few different places. “I counted on Josh for a solid New York style pizza, but spending so much time and effort with America’s Taco Shop I asked for Terry and America’s blessings to take what I learned from them and try it on pizza,” Bortin said. “Though it is very labor-intensive to do two styles of pizza, four years later items like ‘Al Pastor What’ and ‘You Gotta Carne Asada’ pizzas have been crowd pleasers.” My Slice offers two styles of sauces: traditional New York style and Southwestern style, which is made with fire roasted jalapeño tomato cream. Guests can get standard toppings like pepperoni and sausage or opt for one of their specialty pizzas. The “You Gotta Carne Asada” comes with southwest sauce, garlic, roma tomato, chargrilled carne asada, red onion, mozzarella, fire roasted tomato salsa, spiced crema, cilantro and cotija. Each cheesy bite holds a new flavor – almost like eating a taco without the shell. The ratio of crispy to chewy dough is just right. The “Barb-Be-Que-Onda” features house-made BBQ mole sauce, mozzarella, pollo asado, roasted jalapeño, red onion, spicy crema, cilantro and cotija cheese. This pie has quite a kick. Make sure to have some napkins nearby – the homemade sauce will transport folks to a backyard barbecue. My Slice of the Pie also offers toasted sandwiches, wings, appetizers and salads. For dessert, try a slice of the New York style or specialty cheesecake – if the chocolate/peanut butter cheesecake is available, don’t pass it up. Decadent and creamy, this treat will fulfill any type of craving. For more: mysliceofthepiepizzeria.com. MY SLICE OF THE PIE 3724 E. Indian School Road • mysliceofthepiepizzeria.com PLACES WE LIKE By Cody Kennedy Although Arcadia has its fair share of pizza joints, each with its own take on the dough-based dish, there aren’t any that boast “where New York meets the Southwest” as their motto – and the Southwest is something that owner Randy Bortin knows all about. My Slice of the Pie, located in the plaza on the northwest corner of 38th Street and Indian School, is the first restaurant that Bortin has owned, but he’s been in the industry for a few years – his brother and sister-in-law own America’s Taco Shop. Bortin started working for them back in 2010. After a couple years, he moved to the corporate side of things and worked at franchising company Kahala, opening taco shops across the country. In 2015, Bortin had his sights set on opening up his own restaurant. After a few setbacks regarding the first location he wanted, Bortin got a call about a new space opening up on 38th Street. With no finances to back him up, Bortin put his Arcadia home on the market and went all in for the new space. Within a week, his house was sold and he was the new owner of a pizza joint. Bortin had no real pizza-making experience, so he called his friend, California- based Chef Josh Mason, and the two spent hours putting together a menu. My Slice opened in March of 2016. The dining room is modest, with booths and a community table with checkerboards built right in. Eclectic music plays on the speakers and there’s a television where patrons can watch sports. Not to be missed is the massive mural painted on the wall. “I had an idea for one of the walls inside the restaurant to become Camelback Mountain coming alive,” Bortin said. He struggled to find the right artist to create the mural, until he walked into Blind Tiger, a tattoo shop in the same plaza as his restaurant. Bortin was referred to one of Blind Tiger’s tattoo artists, Dylan Loos, and 50 hours later, the mural was ready. It depicts a camel’s head coming out of the mountain and a jalapeño flying a plane with a banner that reads “Welcome to Arcadia.” Bortin says the inspiration for his Owner Randy Bortin. Bortin will expand his business to include a food truck. Built-in checkerboard in the dining room. Serving the Arcadia area since 1958          Find us on Facebook! Member Since 1959      •  •    •   •    •          4855 E Thomas Rd, Phoenix AZ 85018 www.ingleside.com Please Welcome Our New Doctor Karissa Sciacca! BRIAN A. SERBIN, DVM • LINDSAY BUSH, DVM • KATHERINE HEWITT, DVM SAMANTHA MIELKE, DVM • KARISSA SCIACCA, DVM HOSPITAL 602-840-3446 | GROOMING 602-952-1754 Grooming OPEN Tues - Sat