Local News in Brief : Newport Beach : Restaurant Employees Again Help the Needy

The 100 employees of the Five Crowns Restaurant in Corona Del Mar are hoping to make Christmas a little brighter for some less fortunate families in Orange County.

For the sixth year, all of the restaurant’s employees--waitresses, bus boys and front office personnel--are contributing money, food, clothing and toys to help needy families in Orange County.

“Everybody used to put a $10 present into a grab bag every year, but then we decided to give something to somebody who could use it,” said waitress Roberta Berger.

This year, the restaurant staged a combination garage sale, bake sale and car wash to supplement the donations of its employees. It expects to raise $2,000 from the sale and employee donations to be used to buy food, clothing and toys. The restaurant’s food suppliers also donate turkeys, hams, potatoes, rice and produce to be used in food baskets.

The employees will deliver the items to about 20 needy families on Thursday. The county Health Care Agency selects the families to be helped.

“People get very emotional when we come,” said waitress Barbara Colucci, who is coordinating the charitable effort. “Last year, I delivered a package to a house in Santa Ana where 20 people (from three families) were living in a four-bedroom house.”

“That’s what makes us feel good--being able to help those kind of people,” Colucci said.