By Jack Reinhard | Facebook: @JohnJackReinhard

For almost five decades now, Tom Schiano and his family have owned and operated Hackettstown’s Mama’s and Café Baci. Schiano has been there for everyone finding ways to quietly contribute his time, resources and his endless supply of comfort food.

Hailing from Italy, Schiano came to Hackettstown with his family in the 1970s and originally opened Mama’s and Cafe Baci in the old Hackettstown Mall. They began by selling pizza and have since grown to serving a wide variety of Italian dishes. Aside from it being a business, Schano utilizes the restaurant as a way to give back to the community, for which he was recently recognized by the House of the Good Shepherd.

“I really do believe in the community. I believe that first and foremost the community is what makes your business. The quicker you understand that, the more successful I think you will be. It’s been great and people have been very supportive,” said Schiano.

One of those people who has been very supportive is Schiano’s close friend and President of WRNJ Radio Norman Worth. “Tom and I have been friends for well over 30 years and he’s not just a friend, he’s a brother. We got to know each other through the radio station and the restaurant,” said Worth. “He just has this charitable greatness about him that has served him well, but especially has served the community well,” he said.

Schiano has touched the lives of many by providing meals for first responders, veterans and a variety of non-profit organizations. Often he does not even ask how he can help, he just knows what to do to comfort others.

“I think in any community that you live in, you are going to have ups and downs, whether it be yourself or the community. I think it’s just human nature, it’s our family, it’s just how we do things. We believe in pretty much sharing and so therefore we love to get involved with the community. I love to help somebody out,” said Schiano.