What would you do if there is leftover tiramisu at the end of your birthday party?

This was the exact problem Alex Na faced four months ago. After his birthday celebration, he found there was still one third leftover brownie tiramisu. Rather than throwing it away, he posted a video on TikTok saying, “Hi Richmond, who wants my tiramisu?” The video received around 20,000 views and 2,000 likes. Encouraged by the response, he organized a meetup at a local park on a Tuesday evening. About 50 people showed up and enjoyed a free dessert together. He made a video about this surprisingly successful tiramisu gathering and soon strikingly similar comments started to pop up: “When is the next one?”

A slice at a time

He organized another event the following week, and then another. What started as a small effort to avoid wasting food quickly grew into a weekly community event. Soon after, local businesses started reaching out and showing their willingness to partner with Alex Na on social media. After two months of coordinating and planning, small local businesses started being a part of the community tiramisu gathering every Saturday. 

The financial support not only came from the sponsorship from local businesses, community donations also helped cover additional supplies, such as plates and containers. Half of all donations are given to mutual aid organizations in Richmond, extending the project’s impact beyond the events themselves.

Alex personally prepares every tiramisu, ensuring consistent quality. He does not charge for his time or labor, making the project entirely community-driven rather than profit-focused. This volunteer-based model keeps costs low and allows more resources to be directed toward helping others.

With complete open access to the public, the tiramisu events require no registration, documentation, or proof of need. Anyone who saw the flyer or happened to walk past the park can attend. By removing eligibility requirements, the initiative reduces stigma and creates a space where food is shared openly rather than distributed conditionally.

“Let my leftover be someone else’s treat”

The tiramisu giveaway supports food access in multiple meaningful ways. For people who may not always have reliable access to meals, a free slice of homemade dessert isn’t just a treat, it’s real calories and energy, especially during the colder winter months when food can feel harder to come by.

But the impact goes beyond the food itself. The events have slowly become a gathering space for the Richmond community. According to Alex, many people who show up end up staying to talk, sharing tiramisu on park benches and getting to know one another. Some participants, especially those who recently moved to Richmond, have said they made their first local friends there.

The generosity has also spread in unexpected ways. At several events, community members brought extra knitting gloves and scarves to give away, turning a dessert meetup into a moment of collective care.

By hosting the events in public parks, people started to step outside and spend time in shared community space. What seems like nothing more but a simple dessert meetup has encouraged more residents to explore different parks around Richmond more often, building connections not only with the people who show up, but also with the green spaces and precious nature.

The impact extends to local businesses, too. Through Alex’s social media platform, small business owners are able to reach new audiences while supporting a community-centered cause. One example is The Purrfect Bean, a local cat café that partnered with Alex for a December 6, 2025 event. They brought their signature drinks to help raise funds after flooding damaged the first floor of their store. With support from the community, the café was able to reopen in January 2026.

Together, the tiramisu gatherings accomplished way beyond than sharing food. An effective cycle of support has been created, strengthening local businesses, encouraging use of public spaces, and fostering embracing relationships within the city and online space. These small actions as a whole form a model of sustainability that is environmental, social, and economic all at once, reflecting a creative solution to the “Zero Hunger” sustainable development goal.

Layers of tiramisu, layers of community

What makes this initiative unique is the purely community-driven base. Instead of following a formal institutional structure, its simply neighbors, small businesses, and volunteers working together to share food that might otherwise go to waste, distinguishing itself from a traditional food bank. Instead of standing in line for assistance, people gather in a park for fun and relax. 

The casual, dessert-centered setting makes the event feel social and welcoming rather than transactional. That atmosphere can make it easier for people who may be struggling with food access to show up without feeling singled out or embarrassed.

By using social media to organize and promote the gatherings, the project reframes food support as a shared community experience rather than charity: something joyful, open, and inclusive.

More flavorful events ahead

In the future, Alex hopes to continue making his delicious tiramisu which is composed by layers of cream, chocolate powder and dough, and also spreading the care and love to multiple layers of people in the local community.

He plans to work with legal organizations that support people affected by immigration enforcement, using donations from the events to fund this work, using his online platform to speak about social justice, advocate for marginalized communities, and raise awareness about political and human rights issues. For him, the tiramisu events are part of a larger mission to promote inclusiveness, mutual support, and civic engagement.