PR&LA Fall 2018

Fall 2018 • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters •  17 Dinner forKids Since 2011, Ollie’s Restaurant, Edwardsville, has provided six meals a week to children at risk of hunger through its Dinners for Kids program. Currently, staff and volunteers prepare and deliver 37,000 meals annually for 120 children. Because Ollie’s uses its own kitchen facilities to cook and package meals, 100 percent of the funds raised for Dinners for Kids—$250,000 to date—are used for meal costs. King’s college conducted research and found that the program has a positive impact on the children’s behavior and academic performance. While the restaurant’s ownership has changed hands—David Tevet retired last year—the charitable tradition remains very much in tact under new owner, Matthew Borrick. In 2015, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation honored Ollie’s Restaurant with the national Restaurant Neighbor Award. This award highlights the positive contributions restaurants make in their local neighborhoods each and every day. National winners each earn $5,000 in prize money to put toward the charity of their choice. The National Restaurant Association Restaurant Neighbor Award began accepting nominations for the 2019 award on September 17, and nominations will be accepted through November 5. •