The San Diego County Chapter of the California Restaurant Association Presents Restaurants Salute to Service with Warrior Foundation Freedom Station
San Diego County Restaurants to Donate Nearly 700 Meals to Feed Ill and Injured Warriors
During the month of November
The San Diego County Chapter of the California Restaurant Association has teamed up with Warrior Foundation Freedom Station, a local nonprofit organization, to present Restaurants Salute to Service. Now in its fourth year, this annual event honors San Diego’s proud military traditions and the brave men and women who serve our country. Throughout November, participating restaurants will be donating nearly 700 meals to feed ill and injured warriors, including the seriously injured, those suffering from post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, those undergoing physical or occupational therapy, and transitioning warriors who have been medically retired and remain in our community. Warrior Foundation Freedom Station is facilitating the delivery of meals through its extensive network in the military community.
“CRA San Diego Chapter has been honored to serve our injured and transitioning warriors for the last three years,” said Ben Clevenger, CRA San Diego Chapter President. “We’ve raised more than $180,000 to directly impact the work of Warrior Foundation Freedom Station with these heroes over that time period. This year, our fourth, we’re continuing that tradition in a bit of a different way as we adapt as an industry to the changing dynamic caused by the pandemic. The state of the world does not change the need to support our heroes and what better way to support them than to feed them? It’s what restaurants do every day, and we’re proud to be able to apply our expertise as an industry to make their lives a bit brighter, to make them a bit stronger, and to give them the strength to face their challenges.”
“The California Restaurant Association, San Diego County Chapter has done so much for our military community and ill and injured service members in particular,” said Sandy Lehmkuhler, CEO and Founder, Warrior Foundation Freedom Station. “The impact of Restaurants Salute to Service goes far beyond the donation of meals. The experience of breaking bread together is a healing and bonding experience for warriors. It provides them with a sense of camaraderie, reduces emotional isolation, and recreates the sense of brotherhood that is so meaningful to all who have served. Restaurants have been among the hardest-hit by the pandemic, so this act of kindness on the part of so many restaurant owners truly embodies the spirit of service.”
About Warrior Foundation Freedom Station
Founded in 2004, Warrior Foundation Freedom Station is a leading force in assisting, honoring, and supporting the military men and women who have bravely served and sacrificed for our country. We are committed to providing injured warriors with quality-of-life items, support services, and transitional housing designed to assist them and their families during recovery. Warrior Foundation Freedom Station is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California. We proudly hold Charity Navigator’s 4-star rating, the highest possible rating, demonstrating that we exceed industry standards, adhere to sector best practices, and outperform most other charities in America.
To learn more, please visit www.warriorfoundation.org.
About the California Restaurant Association, San Diego County Chapter
The San Diego County Chapter of the California Restaurant Association is part of the oldest restaurant association in the United States with more than 100 years of experience. The CRA and the San Diego chapter offers industry insiders unparalleled insight into the state’s vibrant restaurant and hospitality industries. The organization constantly strives to simultaneously improve the restaurant business and to breed the next generation of foodservice leaders, ensuring the future of this vital industry. A strong part of the chapter’s mission is to give back to the community.
To learn more, visit https://www.calrest.org/post/san-diego-chapter.
