October Marks 8,000 Meals Delivered to St. Luke’s Hospice Families



 

Top Cut Steak House to Join Judith Adele Agentis Charitable Foundation for Hospice Meal Donations   

BETHLEHEM, PA (IMMEDIATE RELEASE) — Top Cut Steak House, one of the newest and swankiest fine restaurants in the Lehigh Valley, will be joining its sister resturants – Blue Grillhouse, Melt Grill, and Torre Mexican Restaurant in helping others in the community.

Top Cut, which opened in August above Melt Grill at the Promenade Shoppes, Center Valley, is one of five restaurants in the Paxos Group portfolio.

Top Cut chefs will be donating a delicious lunch for 30 people at St. Luke’s Hospice, Thursday, October 20, at 12 noon, according to Tony Burgio, general manager.

“For those spending the last precious days, hours, moments with their loved ones, food is often the last thing on their minds,” says Bob Agentis, founder of the Judith Adele Agentis Charitable Foundation (JAACF), who survived solely on crackers for nearly a week as he held vigil for his beloved wife, Judith, while she was in hospice.

Caption: Top Cut owner George Paxos, right, with Bob Agentis, founder of JAACF  

            Following her passing in January 2013, Agentis founded the Judith Adele Agentis Charitable Foundation (JAACF) and has since rallied a growing list of the most notable Lehigh Valley restaurants to fill this often little recognized yet very big need.

            “Families don’t leave the hospice center, and it helps them feel better to be able to come over and have a nice meal and talk to others while they are here.” says Judy Scott, patient care manager at St. Luke’s Hospice House.

            Every Thursday, Agentis delivers, with quiet honor, a buffet for 30 to 50 people.

This October marks the 8,000th meal donated through JAACF to St. Luke’s VNA Hospice, Bethlehem

             “The list of donor partners has grown to 62 area restaurants, and these are some of the finest businesses in the Lehigh Valley,” observes Agentis.  He adds, “After a business donates for the first time, they often ask, when our business can donate again?”

Other loyal donor restaurants for JAACF include: The Apollo Grill, Corked Steak and Wine Bar, Edge, The Mint Gastropub, The Hamilton Kitchen and Bar, Tapas on Main, Panera Bread, and Yianni’s Taverna.   The families visiting loved ones at hospice are more than grateful for the delicious meal, and have expressed their appreciation in donations, thank-you cards and well wishes weeks later on Facebook.

Agentis and the JAACF earned the Heart of Hospice Award from the Pennsylvania Hospice Network, 2014, and the Shining Star Award from St. Luke’s Health Network, 2014. The nonprofit also recently earned a grant from Just Born, Inc.

Dyanne Holt, a co-owner of Apollo Grill, says, “This is a notable charitable foundation with an excellent mission. The foundation recognizes the need that family members here at hospice need to nourish the whole body and soul. Providing fine food is one way to help them do that.”

“Hospice is important; they help make you ready and help make your loved one comfortable,” adds Holt, who has experienced having two of her own family members in hospice.

For more information about the JAACF, established to provide meals to hospice centers and to provide testing, early detection, awareness and education about Pancreatic and Liver and Colon Cancers, visitwww.JAACF.org, Facebook /JAACF or Twitter @JAACF org.

 

 
Information Provided By:
Tina Bradford
Writer/Public Relations/Social Media
http://twitter.com/TinaBradfordPR