Feeding America donor Giovanni DeGarimore, owner of Giovanni’s Fish Market, makes it a priority to give what he can to those struggling with hunger across the country and in his own community. In June his fish market celebrated their 30th anniversary with a fundraising event and hunger awareness campaign that included serving 2,000 people with free fish and chips from his restaurant. He also raised $2,000 for the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County.
Giovanni says: “I believe making a difference starts at home. As a father, hunger strikes a special chord with me because you never want to see a child go without food. Thinking about my daughter going hungry and seeing the statistics of child hunger inspires me to do more because we waste so much food in our country.
The most meaningful part about my experience with Feeding America over the last three years has been knowing that I’m giving back in the most impactful way. I believe the ultimate goal of any charitable endeavor is knowing that you are making a difference in people’s lives and that the majority of the funds are going directly to helping those who really need it.
Since I’m in a position to give back, I like to do what I can. That is why I’m extremely happy that we were able to serve roughly 2,000 people, including many members of our homeless community, with free fish and chips at our fish market on June 3rd. Our ‘Free Fish and Chips’ Day was part of the hunger awareness campaign #LetsFeedThemAll.
I’m just hoping to create a ripple effect. I don’t want to just raise awareness for one day - I want to create real change. I hope other businesses will be inspired to start something similar. If every restaurant or business gave free food one day a year, we could make a significant impact on the issue of hunger. I want to motivate others to participate and give the gift of a meal.”
