Olive Garden, through its charitable arm, the Darden Restaurant Foundation, makes grants to various nonprofit organizations, and the food pantry in Parma Heights recently received $1,000 from the organization. The pantry, which serves about 300 households in the area, will use the grant to offset the food purchases it makes.
The pantry's director, Anne George, said the grant came at just the right time, since the nonprofit's finances were at a low ebb. She expressed her gratitude to Olive Garden for nominating her organization.
According to its director Stephanie Ghertner, the Darden Foundation said it was proud to support the food pantry via its Restaurant Community Grants. The program helps to support not-for-profit organizations in those communities served by the restaurants in the Darden Group. This includes the Olive Garden, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Yard House, and Eddie V's. Each restaurant awards a $1,000 grant to a nonprofit organization that has done exceptional work in the community they both serve.
Since 2012, worthy nonprofit organizations across Canada and the United States have received almost $7m in grant money, which is funneled into three areas: Hunger Relief, Preservation of Natural Resources, and Recipe for Success.
The food pantry might consider working with a postcard printing company on cards for those they serve, sharing the good news.
