Like many of his classmates at the College, Ian Di Pietro ’23 left campus in the middle of March to find his hometown significantly altered. Just as Ian was departing for his home in Manhattan, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared that schools, restaurants and bars in the city would close due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This news hit especially close to home for the Di Pietros, who make their living as the owners of a group of Italian restaurants called Taralluci e Vino. Taralluci e Vino has five locations in Manhattan and employs 105 people in total.