SWFL restaurant owners travel to Uvalde to help the community

As the nation continues to grieve over the loss of life in the elementary school shooting in Texas, local restaurant owners have made the trip to Uvalde to lend a hand.

When the owners of FK Your Diet heard the news of the shooting, they knew they had to help.

The ‘FK’ in FK Your Diet stands for foster kids. One of the owners was raised through the foster care system, so kids have a special place in his heart.

As soon the owners heard about what happened, they began fundraising and drove right to the community where the shooting happened to help.

Amy Eldridge and Doug Miller, owners of FK Your Diet, were leaving a restaurant trade show in Chicago when they learned what happened in Texas.

“He gets past most things. He couldn’t get past this one. So, you know, I thought about it. I’m like, ‘we should just go,'” said Eldridge.

While on their way, Miller began calling restaurants in the area to see how they could help.

The restaurant he spoke with delivered gut-wrenching news.

“Half their staff was out because they lost loved ones in the shooting,” said Miller.

Eldridge and Miller arrived in Uvalde on Thursday afternoon. They said they weren’t prepared for what they saw.

“You see the pile of teddy bears and the flowers and the families, the people that are crying and the hugs. I mean, wow. Watching it on TV is one thing,” said Miller.

“Their friends are coming up. They have a memorial in the center of town for each child. And students are coming around, and they’re signing the crosses,” said Eldridge.

Eldridge and Miller are donating $7,000 of their own money and about $1,500 donated by our community.

They said the food trucks and vendors in Uvalde are giving what they have, and they’re not charging anything.

“All of these people that are setting up around town giving away food, they’re giving the ‘hard’ money,” said Miller.

Eldridge and Miller spent Thursday helping out the food trucks and doing whatever was needed.

“Do anything. Pray. You know, thank god that, you know, this didn’t happen where we live,” said Miller. “Hug your loved ones,” said Eldridge.

Eldridge and Miller said they are staying in the community for as long as they’re needed.

If you would like to donate to FK Your Diet’s cause in Uvalde, you can do by clicking here.

They said part of the money they raise will be donated to the local funeral home in Uvalde to help the families pay for the funerals.