CHAPEL HILL - Fourteen Chapel Hill and Carrboro restaurants were honored Tuesday for their commitment to local hunger relief efforts at a reception at Top of the Hill hosted by the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service.

Herb Paul, IFC President, and Irene Briggaman, RSVVP Day founder and a 2011 RSVVP Day committee member, presented plaques recognizing each restaurant's long-term commitment to RSVVP - Restaurants Sharing V/5 & V/5 Percent - a fundraiser for IFC's hunger-relief programs which is now in its 23rd year.

On RSVVP Day, the second Tuesday of November each year, participating restaurants donate 10 percent of their total sales to the IFC for use in its FoodFirst programs (Community Kitchen and Food Pantry). This year's RSVVP Day will be Nov. 8.

Plaques were awarded for 10 years of participation to: Scott Conary of Caffe Driade; Craig Couture of Domino's Pizza in Carrboro; Geronimo Martinez of La Hacienda; and Spring Council of Mama Dip's Country Kitchen. The 15-year participation plaques were given to: Jasmine Thor of 35 Chinese; Parvaneh Pirzadeh of Café Parvaneh; and Katherine Hollander of Top of the Hill. Those who were recognized for 20 years of participation included: Cindy McMahan of Elmo's Diner; Jim Duignan of Flying Burrito; David Chu of Hunam Chinese; and Kati Laganis and Erin Schwartz of Subway in Glenwood Square.

Not in attendance but also honored were Patrick Stevens of Subway at Timberlyne (20 years of participation), Daisy Maness of Ye Olde Waffle Shoppe (20 years of participation) and John and Ave Maria Dimos of Capt. John's Dockside (15 years of participation.)

"All of us at the Inter-Faith Council say congratulations and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your participation and your ongoing concern for hungry persons in our community," IFC executive director Chris Moran said.

"RSVVP is one of the most valuable partnerships the IFC has with the local business community," he continued. "Hunger is far-reaching now. More and more of those being laid off in the community are using IFC services for the very first time. When eating at RSVVP restaurants on November 8, and all year long, we will be reminded about the reality of local hunger needs and our special partnership together."