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“From Our Restaurant to Yours”
Schwartz Brothers Serves Up True Values, Gives Sri Lankan Restaurant Desperately Needed Funds
6/28/2005
Bellevue, Wash. — Schwartz Brothers Restaurants, a premier multi-concept restaurant and food services company based in Bellevue, Wash., announced today it has donated $10,000 to Re-Fresh Seafood, a tsunami-hit, family-owned restaurant based in Sri Lanka. The funds are a combination of personal contributions from Schwartz Brothers employees (some 800) and from the company.
Last December Re-Fresh Seafood saw its beachside restaurant in Hikkaduwa suffer extensive damage (roughly US$48,000) when the tsunami obliterated this popular tourist destination (the Sri Lankan coastal area below the capital city of Colombo). The majority of the restaurant’s 41 workers became unemployed overnight. Owner Koralage Upali has a wife and four teenage children.
“Rather than simply donating money to an involved charity, we wanted to find a family-owned restaurant company similar to our own that needed assistance, and to offer our support,” said Schwartz Brothers’ Chairman Bill Schwartz. “Re-Fresh Seafood was clearly in dire need.”
The search began through the international Young President’s Organization (YPO), of which company President Lindsey Schwartz is a member. “We found a YPO member, Suresh Shah, CEO of the Lion Brewery Ceylon Ltd. in Sri Lanka, and he recommended we consider assisting Mr. Upali, one of his long-time customers,” said Bill Schwartz. “We are pleased to be able to make it a little easier for Mr. Upali to re-establish his business.” Along
with a bank loan and sponsorship from suppliers, Mr. Upali plans to have his restaurant completely rebuilt by November 2005.
In addition to this donation, Gretchen’s Shoebox Express, a division of Schwartz Brothers Restaurants, employees earlier this year provided almost $1,000 in financial support for immediate tsunami relief to World Vision and Mercy Corps.
About Schwartz Brothers Restaurants
Schwartz Brothers Restaurants, a premier multi-concept restaurant and food services company based in Bellevue, Wash., includes Daniel's Broiler® Prime Steaks and Chops in Bellevue, and at Leschi Marina and South Lake Union in Seattle, as well as Chandler's Crabhouse on South Lake Union at Chandlers Cove, Daniel’s Catering, Schwartz Brothers Catering, Gretchen's Shoebox Express, Atrium Café, Piazza Italian Café, Schwartz Brothers Bakery and Columbia River Bakery.
Visit www.schwartzbros.com for dining details. Re-Fresh Seafood pre and post-tsunami photos available online in the Schwartz Brothers photo library under Corporate Photos at www.schwartzbros.com/press.cfm.
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