Mountain of meatballs for Brandon fund

SMITHFIELD, RI (WPRI) - More than 1100 people attended a record setting local fundraiser for a young Rhode Islander who always seems to steal the show even with his seemingly limited ability to communicate. His smiles and bright eyes say it all.

• Watch original Street Story about Brandon

Brandon Anderson , 3, from Coventry was born with unexplained, multiple brain malfunctions. It is not degenerative but the often smiling child is confined to a wheelchair with limited ability to talk. His eyes are healthy but his brain is unable to decipher what he sees, leaving him effectively blind.

For the Anderson family, the ‘why’ is far less important than the fact that Brandon is a happy child who is learning something new all the time.

“I don’t focus on what happened as much as what we can do from now on,” his dad Keith Anderson said. “Brandon to me is perfect just the way he is. Whether he ever walks, talks, sits, stands, isn't important to me. I love him just the way he is.”

One of the members of the St. Philip Church Men's club noticed how many appointments with doctors and specialists the Anderson's face every week and how the co-pay costs add up for them. He helped organized the fundraiser.

“It was the largest ziti and meatball supper the St. Philip Church Men’s club has ever held,” organizer Elizabeth Israni said. “We are still receiving checks and donations so I don't have a tally of what was raised."

One hundred percent of the tickets for the dinner and raffle went to help Brandon’s family since the entire dinner was donated thanks to a half dozen local businesses. The Pleasant Valley Diner, owned by Brandon’s aunt, led the way with a whopping 2200 homemade meatballs.

Israni also credited Stop and Shop for sending 16 employees to serve the guests. The Smithfield Kohl’s sent 5 employees, a Smithfield Dunkin’ Donuts pitched in 25 pounds of coffee, Nino’s and Francesco Rinaldi National in Coventry poured on the gravy and live versions of Elmo and the Easter Bunny were donated by Birthday Party RI.

“It's made me sit back and think, when you hear all these bad things, there are so many good people out there,” Brandon's mom Jenn Anderson said. “So many good people!”

Donations are being accepted until the end of April. Checks with ‘Brandon’s Fund’ in the memo line can be made out to St. Philip Church and mailed to St. Philip Church, Attn: Men's Club, 622 Putnam Pike, Greenville, RI 02828.