News

Actions

Man digging for food in trash sparks restaurant to take action in Virginia Beach

Posted at 7:21 PM, May 25, 2015
and last updated 2015-05-25 19:37:22-04

Virginia Beach, Va. - A man was seen by employees of a Virginia Beach restaurant digging through a trash can looking for something to eat and the business took action.

Eleni Fotidou is the owner of Zorba’s, a Greek restaurant on Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach.

"I never want to see anyone like that," says  Fotidou.

Last Friday, she and others were disturbed.

“We didn't quite realize what he was doing at first, but to take a better look at it at him, you realize he's searching for food," says Samantha McCauley.

The owners say they were heartbroken when they looked outside and saw the man looking for food in the trash.

“No one is allowed in 2015 to go to bed starving," says Fotidou.

The owners showed us their security video from last Friday. They said minutes after the man was searching through the trash, you can see him walking away.

A woman who works nearby ran after him to give him water. They offered him food but he declined and seemed upset.

So they took action and hung up signs near the trashcans encouraging anyone in need of food to come inside.

They said hanging the signs are easier than having an awkward conversation with someone in need who might be too embarrassed.

A restaurant in Oklahoma went viral after posting a similar sign about six weeks ago.

The owners at Zorba’s said helping others is what they are accustomed to doing.

“In Greece, it's the home of hospitality.  We learn to do that, in Greece we are all big families. We always help each other, love each other," says Fotidou.

They said they have only seen a handful of people going through the trash and the area doesn’t see too many homeless people. But these owners said the thought of just one person without any food is too much, and they’re happy to take action and fill the stomach of someone in need.