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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN CELEBRATION OF FRANK GARCIA'S BIRTHDAY
______
HON. J. LUIS CORREA
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, August 16, 2019
Mr. CORREA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th birthday of
Frank Garcia, my constituent, friend, and the founder and owner of La
Casa Garcia.
Mr. Garcia and his wife, Sylvia Garcia, opened La Casa Garcia in 1973
and have since expanded to three locations in Orange County. La Casa
Garcia and its authentic, delectable Mexican food has become a staple
in our community over the past four decades. Beyond being a successful
restaurateur, Mr. Garcia has also become a well-known philanthropist in
Orange County as the founder of the We Give Thanks Foundation. Mr.
Garcia's passion for giving back earned him the Points of Light
Foundation Medal from former President Bill Clinton. In addition, his
restaurant, La Casa Garcia, received the designation of ``Small
Business of the Year'' from California State Senator Tom Umberg.
Mr. Garcia began his career in the restaurant industry at the young
age of 13 as a dishwasher in a restaurant in Texas. He also worked in
the fields picking cotton and onion with his father, Luis Majin Garcia.
During his time as a dishwasher, Mr. Garcia worked hard to master
cooking skills and was soon promoted to chef himself. It was through
these formative experiences that Mr. Garcia learned the value of hard
work, the power of food as a way of bonding, and the importance of
connecting with the community. Mr. Garcia credits God for his success
and expresses his gratitude through every meal that he serves.
Growing up, his mother, Elvira Garza Garcia, one of the founders of
LULAC, instilled in him a strong sense of philanthropy. After the
success of La Casa Garcia, Mr. Garcia followed his mother's philosophy
of charity and founded We Give Thanks Inc., a nonprofit that has been
hosting a Thanksgiving feast every year for the past 32 years. The
annual We Give Thanks feast began as a small-scale event attended by a
few thousand people in the parking lot of one of the La Casa Garcia
restaurants. Since then, it has expanded to the lot of the Honda
Center, where 1,500 volunteers serve around 17,000 people each year. It
has become the largest Thanksgiving feast hosted in Orange County. Mr.
Garcia's dedication to serving others also extends beyond Orange
County; when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Texas in 2017, Mr. Garcia
participated in efforts to raise money for victims and personally flew
out to Houston to provide hot meals for those in need and displaced by
the hurricane.
In his 75 years of life, Mr. Garcia has become a beacon of light for
the Orange County community. He is a constant and consistent supporter
of numerous community events and has become known for his community
service and volunteer work. His dedication for providing quality food
and his passion for helping others brings warmth and comfort to the
lives of Orange County locals every day. Mr. Garcia's story is a moving
example of the power of hard work, dedication, and charity. For these
reasons, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Garcia many more
years of health, success, and prosperity and in thanking him for his
invaluable contributions and presence in our community. Happy Birthday.
____________________