10,000 slices of pizza, 7,000 cookies, 1,200 cups of cocoa — one big inauguration

It's not exactly the biblical miracle of fishes and loaves, but by the modern miracle of e-mail, the masses will be fed Thursday as Deval Patrick is sworn in as the 71st governor of the Commonwealth. It's being billed as "the People's Inaugural," and there are going to be hordes of the hungry. So the call -- or rather the e-mail -- went out to the Massachusetts Restaurant Association: Could you, would you, please help?

"It's one of the easiest asks I've ever had to make," says Louisa Kasdon, a former event planner and restaurateur who heads the hospitality committee for the inauguration. "And it's a hard time to ask, during the holidays. But people have been stepping up. I've been blown away by the desire to be of help, big and small."

The big would be Uno Chicago Grill -- the former Pizzeria Uno -- which is donating enough of its deep-dish pizza to feed 10,000 people. The small would be Picante Mexican Grill , a 40-seat eatery in Central Square, which is making chips and salsa for 500. "It's my understanding that the governor is opening the inaugural to the public, and I like that," says owner Richard Faulkner, stressing that both the chips and salsa will be homemade.

They're donating for a variety of reasons: altruism, advertising, advocacy. Even high school students are getting into the act, and the kitchen. More than a dozen schools are "Baking for the Bay State," as kid coordinator Ken Brissette is dubbing the effort. Among them, they'll turn out 7,000 cookies and pastries. "The biggest thing is to get the youth to be part of this," says Brissette, who took a leave of absence from his job as a special-education teacher to volunteer for Patrick. "Some of these kids have never been in the State House before, never met a governor. They are going to see firsthand . . . all the power people who make the laws of the state. They'll see the Hall of Flags. It's a phenomenal lesson in civics and government."

Two students -- dressed in their chef's whites -- from each of the participating schools, which have culinary programs, will get to serve their goodies while standing behind their tables at the State House reception Thursday afternoon. After that event, another 1,500 students and chaperones will participate in the youth inaugural at the Shubert Theatre. They'll come from public, private, and parochial high schools, and will include special - education students. Patrick will be on stage with a randomly selected group of students for a dialogue, and then, in a kind of town hall meeting, will solicit comments via microphones from students in the audience.

"What is it that motivates them to get involved in their community? What are the barriers to youth involvement? He wants input from them about programs they've been involved in or have seen that work," says Michele Norman, the youth inaugural director. That audience will be fed, too: on their way out, each person will receive a snack bag for their trip home. Panera Bread is donating fruit and bottles of water, while Dancing Deer Baking Co. in Roxbury is making a special inauguration cookie.

Dancing Deer's most popular cookie, the molasses clove, will be specially packaged. The "recipe for good government" will include (along with the cookie's real ingredients) things like "hope," honesty," "intelligence," and "humor." Company owner Trish Karter , who was an early Patrick supporter, is donating about 4,000 cookies. "It's a historic moment for the state, and we're big cheerleaders for Boston and for Massachusetts," she says. Karter also likes the idea of the inclusive inaugural, which she calls "turning politics on its head and throwing the doors open to everyone."

Linda Guttman actually called her state rep and asked if she could donate her cocoa to the cause. "I just feel that this man is really different," says Guttman, owner of Best Friends Cocoa factory in Arlington, which will provide 1,200 cups for the receiving line at the State House. "His whole campaign was grassroots, so why wouldn't we have a grassroots inauguration?" Plus, Guttman notes that Arlington manufactures little foodstuffs : her cocoa and Brigham's ice cream, as far as she knows. "I wanted Arlington represented," she says.

Chip Rosenberg had nutrition-related issues on his mind when he agreed to donate 1,000 mini-cupcakes. Rosenberg, owner of Cherrybrook Kitchen in Burlington, says his peanut-free, dairy-free and egg-free pastries will appeal to those with food allergies. "I like Patrick, but it's not a political issue; it's a social issue," he says. "We believe there will be a lot of people there who can't have dessert because of food allergies, so for us, it's a service."

J.P. Licks, a Jamaica Plain-based ice cream company, is doing 500 cups of coffee and 500 cups of ice cream. "We may even do a special inaugural flavor," says office manager Doris Cooke.

Darryl Settles , owner of Bob's Southern Bistro in the South End, is a member of the food committee, and reached out to his colleagues in the restaurant business. He is pleased with the response, and likes the idea of small and medium-size businesses adding a local touch. "I think we'll have more than enough," says Settles.

Legal Sea Foods , a Boston institution, is donating between 6,000 and 8,000 cups of its signature chowder. "The reason is simply that we were asked, by some nongovernmental folks who we have respect for," says CEO Roger Berkowitz . Dole & Bailey , a family-owned food business in Woburn, is donating fresh fruit for 2,000. Aisha's Treats in West Roxbury is donating 750 dessert pieces that contain crushed dates and walnuts.

Chris Spinazzola, a restaurateur who is on the inaugural food committee, has shaken down his foodie friends for donations, and is contributing 500 desserts from his function facility, Christina's in Foxboro. Spinazzola, who is chairman of the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation , which awards scholarships to budding chefs, was also instrumental in getting some of the high schools involved in Baking for the Bay State .

"I am a fan of the governor, even more so now that I read in the Sunday Globe that he is an authentic foodie and cook," Spinazzola says. "I believe that is a great thing for our state and hopefully a good thing for our industry."

Bobby Wong , who runs Kowloon restaurant in Saugus with his parents, is donating 10,000 spring rolls and dumplings. Wong didn't vote for Patrick, and the donation comes at one of his busiest times of year. So why is he doing it? "Since the election, I have changed my mind about him," Wong says. "He seems very articulate, even under fire. I could be wrong, and I may not always agree with him, but I think he'll do what he thinks is right for the state."

For the past five gubernatorial elections, Joe Milano , owner of the Union Oyster House , has been chairman of the inaugural dinner thrown by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachus etts . Since 1780, the group has hosted the event. Patrick and his contingent are expected to spend about an hour at a private reception and dinner, which will also be attended by many other politicians at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center .

For the public event at the center, Milano is donating 500 servings of apple cobbler. "It's inclusive and curious and interesting," he says of the inauguration. "And I think that's the kind of governor he's going to be."