Restaurateurs Twice-Challenged to Help the Needy

Orange County restaurants were given two challenges this week to help the needy. One was from Rex Chandler, owner of Rex Restaurant and the Oyster Bar & Grill in Newport Beach. A five-year board member of the county’s American Red Cross chapter, Chandler has asked fellow restaurateurs to designate Saturday as “Nov. 4 for the Red Cross” and to donate 10% of the day’s receipts to the Red Cross disaster fund.

The fund, Chandler said, has been seriously depleted by Red Cross services to Bay Area residents after the Northern California earthquake and to victims of Hurricane Hugo.

Those wishing to participate may contact Chandler at (714) 675-2566.

The second challenge came from Jean Forbath, director of Save Our Selves in Costa Mesa, a nonprofit, all-volunteer agency that responds to the emergency needs of the county’s poor.

SOS has “a tremendous need” for prepared food for the homeless, Forbath said.

County restaurants, caterers and food services already donate excess foods to SOS, she noted.

But, she added, more food is needed, all year long.

Some catering trucks bring food in to SOS at day’s end. Other contributors include the test kitchens at Grace Restaurant Service in Irvine and Showley-Wrightson in Newport Beach. And some restaurants, according to grateful SOS personnel, “just bring food by, without identifying themselves.”

SOS is at 661 Hamilton St., Costa Mesa. For information, call (714) 642-3451.