HINTON, W. Va. -The usual goal of the local nonprofit, Hinton Hope Foundation, is to give back to the local community, but the recent hurricane that devastated the Carolinas is extending their area of focus to help the people who lost everything to this terrible storm.
The Hinton Hope Foundation first held the Hinton “Dine Out for Hurricane Victims” back in 2017 when a hurricane hit Houston, Texas. Now, this fundraiser is back to help those in areas damaged by Hurricane Helene.
The foundation is donating the raised funds to the United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit with many years of experience helping hurricane survivors. To raise these funds, they’ve gotten the support from several Hinton businesses.
“Hinton is a very, very giving community; they always help one another, but this is an opportunity to help our fellow Americans, and it’s great… for businesses to show that, you know, times may be tough for them, but they’re willing to help their fellow Americans,” says Laura Cochran, assistant executive director of the Hinton Hope Foundation.
Four Hinton restaurants are participating in this fundraiser, each donating a portion of their profits on different dates and times.
Local Italian restaurant, Aziza Pizza & Subs is donating twenty percent of their profits on Monday, October, 21st, to help this cause. We spoke to the owner, Gamal Mossalem, and asked what made him want to take part.
“Everybody watches TV. I’ve seen how bad people’s houses got, and, you know, I understand that, in a moment in time you can just lose everything, and I just want to help as much as I can… even if it’s something little, I understand that, you know, a little here and a little there, if everybody helps, then we can all actually put something great together to help these people out, get their life back together,” says Mossalem.
Cochran encourages people to consider grabbing a bite to eat at any of the participating restaurants, even if it’s something small and adds, “even a dollar helps.”
Aziza Pizza and Subs will be participating in this fundraiser on Monday, including with delivery orders, until they close at 9:00 pm. You can find a full list of the donating restaurants and the days and times they will be participating on the Hinton Hope Foundation’s Facebook page.
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