Inter-Faith Council hosts 28th annual RSVVP Day at local restaurants

By eating out today you are not just curbing your appetite, you’re helping relieve hunger in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

On Tuesday, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service will be holding their 28th annual RSVVP Day at local restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

RSVVP is an acronym for Restaurants Sharing 10 Percent, where each V stands for a Roman numeral five.

Today all participating restaurants will donate 10 percent of their proceeds to the IFC’s FoodFirst hunger relief programs: a food pantry and community kitchen.

FoodFirst is a program designed to help curb food insecurity, hunger and homelessness in Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

In 2015, the IFC raised $24,019.23 for hunger-relief programs, for a total of $481,405 across 27 years of RSVVP days.

This year, they are hoping to reach half a million dollars raised overall. RSVVP Day is the IFC’s single largest fundraiser.

There are more than 100 restaurants participating in the event this year from Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Carrboro and Raleigh.

Participating restaurants include Mediterranean Deli, Armadillo Grill, Elmo’s diner, 411 West, Elaine’s on Franklin, Mama Dip’s Kitchen, Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen and Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe.

Jamil Kadoura, owner of Mediterranean Deli, has been participating in the event since it began.

He said 20 years ago, there used to be a lot of foot traffic brought in by the event and he hopes that this year the community will come out and eat.

“It is such a wonderful thing and I will do it ‘til the day I die,” Kadoura said.

Cindy McMahan, the owner of Elmo’s Diner in Carrboro, believes Tuesday should be busy due to the election.

She said in the past most people who go out to eat make a conscious effort to go to restaurants participating in RSVVP Day.

“It’s such a great program and we really enjoy serving the community,” McMahan said.

Erika Wright, the director of operations at Armadillo Grill, said the restaurant has been participating in RSVVP since it opened.

“We love it, that’s why we continue to participate,” Wright said. “We really stand behind the cause.”

On Sept. 20, the IFC recognized restaurants for their participation at a ceremony at Top of the Hill.

Three restaurants in Chapel Hill and Carrboro — Armadillo Grill, Mediterranean Deli and Elmo’s Diner — won awards for participating in RSVVP Day for at least 20 years.

Elizabeth Garfunkel, IFC executive assistant, said a lot of hard work goes into the event including signing up restaurants, putting up flyers and designing graphics.

She said this event could not have been put together without the dedication of Irene Briggaman, the RSVVP Day founder and an IFC volunteer.

“It is such a fun and easy way to fight hunger,” Garfunkel said.

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