RSVPP fundraiser helps curb hunger in the community

November marks the 28th year that the restaurants of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have teamed up with the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service to provide meals for the hungry.

RSVVP, which stands for “Restaurants Sharing 10 Percent” is a fundraising event that will be held on Nov. 8 this year.

For the fundraiser, participating restaurants donate 10 percent of their total sales for the day to IFC’s hunger-relief programs — the Food Pantry and Community Kitchen.

Kristin Lavergne, the co-director of IFC, said that in 1989 their first RSVVP brought in a little more than $6,000. This year, she said they have reached a total of almost $500,000 since they began the fundraiser 28 years ago.

Irene Briggaman, RSVVP founder, said they are about $18,000 shy of hitting that mark. Last year’s fundraiser brought in more than $24,000, which provided 60,000 meals for the Community Kitchen and 13,303 bags of groceries for the Food Pantry to distribute.

In 2014, RSVVP broke their single-year record with $26,004.62 raised and 115 restaurants participating.

Each year, IFC recognizes the restaurants that have been a part of the fundraiser for a significant period of time. Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant and Nantucket Grill and Bar were added as 10-year participants.

Domino’s in Carrboro, Mama Dip’s, Caffe Driade and La Hacienda were honored for participating in the RSVVP fundraiser for 15 years.

Scott Conary of Caffe Driade said the fundraiser is pretty simple for their restaurant since they have consumers who care. He said the IFC makes the process easy for them to get involved.

“It’s great knowing we are actually helping and doing good,” Conary said.

The restaurants that reached the 20-year mark were Top of the Hill and Captain John’s Dockside Fish and Crab House.

Scott Maitland, founder of TOPO and TOPO Distillery, said RSVVP is a great opportunity for restaurants.

“One of the things that I like about this fundraiser is that it is a good ask for restaurants,” Maitland said. “You get people to come out on what could be a slow night while also raising funds and awareness.”

The five restaurants that have reached 25 years with the program include Elmo’s Diner, Hunam Chinese Restaurant, La Residence, Subway Glenwood Square, and Ye Olde Waffle Shop.

“You all have fed the hungry almost half a million dollars worth of food,” Briggaman said to the restaurant managers and owners.

Twenty-six restaurants have already registered for this year’s fundraiser, including Steel String Brewery, Lucha Tigre, Carrburritos and Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen.

“We live in a most generous community,” Briggaman said. “So be proud of our restaurant owners and managers who every year raise money to feed the hungry.”

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