On March 30, local restaurants will be participating in the ninth annual Dine for Disaster Relief event and raising money for the disaster relief response of American Red Cross of South Central Georgia. 

Mark Harmon, founder and organizer of the Dine for Disaster Relief event, said that the fundraising opportunity was spawned from a need to raise funds for organizations like the Red Cross. 

“Dining for Disaster was spawned out of an obvious need to raise funds, as we always need to for organizations like the Red Cross,” he said. 

Harmon said that as chief building official of the City of Thomasville and with history in construction, he’d seen the impact a local disaster can have on families and the way Red Cross can help.

“They’re a multi-faceted organization and near and dear to my heart is disaster relief, not that all the other things that Red Cross touches are unimportant,” he said. “But in our area, being in the trade that I’m in as a building official and previously in construction, I see the results of tornadoes, storms, floods, fires and all those things that impact our community rather heavily.”

Harmon explained that on March 30, participating restaurants in Thomasville and Valdosta will be taking a portion of their sales that day and donating them toward the local Red Cross chapter.

“Just by going out to eat, they contribute a small portion of what their bill is toward the Red Cross,” Harmon said. “So, a lot of my friends in the downtown area immediately jumped on board, I think we had six restaurants participate that first year and since then we have grown.”

Jackie Shoemaker, executive director of the American Red Cross South Central Chapter, said that that money would go on to provide aid to families dealing with disasters in the chapter’s region, which encompasses 22 counties.

“Say we have a fire call, we provide some monetary assistance to families that have lost their homes to a fire,” she said. “And the intent is that they will use the money to buy the basic necessities of shelter, clothing and some food for a few days until they can get settled.”

Having raised $6,000 last year, Shoemaker said she is hoping that with the 26 participating restaurants and locations in Thomasville this year, they’ll raise even more. 

“We raised over $6,000 last year,” she said. “And of course, we’re hoping, with the additional restaurants, to raise more this year.”

Harmon said that with the recent expansion of the event to 12 locations in Valdosta and possibilities of expanding to Tifton, he hoped to continue growing the fundraising event every year, until it was a state-wide event that everyone looked forward to. 

“I don’t know if that’ll ever happen, but that would be my goal,” he said. 

Shoemaker thanked the participating restaurants for helping the local chapter of the American Red Cross continue providing support to those who need it. 

“I just appreciate the restaurants involvement in this,” she said. “They’re taking a portion of their money and giving back to our program that without donor support, we can’t respond, so it’s critical we have donors. We’re so appreciate to them doing this for us.” 

Participating restaurants include AJ Moonspin Pizza, Beef O’Brady’s, Chop House, Diablo’s, Eliano’s Coffee, Empire Bagel, Fratelli’s, Grassroots Coffee, Henderson’s, Hubs and Hops, all five Jeff Hendrick Restaurant locations, Jonah’s Fish & Grits, Liam’s Restaurant, Rancho Grande, SASS, Seminole Wind, Smallcakes Cupcakery, Subway on 131 South Broad St., Subway on 1514  E. Jackson, Sweet Cacao, Sweet Grass Dairy and The Plaza Restaurant.