Shining a bright spotlight on its charity and philanthropy, Charlotte’s hometown restaurant, Showmars, has received the distinguished honor of being named a Corporate Champion for women and children across North Carolina. The General Federation of Women’s Clubs of NC (GFWC-NC) presented the award to the Charlotte-based restaurant group during an awards banquet in Uptown Charlotte on Monday, October 22nd. Showmars was one of three companies chosen to receive the honor for impacting the lives of women and children in their communities and across the state.

“We are so honored to be chosen by Women’s Clubs of NC for this award and to be recognized for work that is so close to all of our hearts,” said Dean Peroulas, CEO & President of The Showmars Hospitality Group. “Our restaurant was built on the foundation of family, we operate and succeed as a family and we consider the people who we serve every day as a part of that family. We believe it is our responsibility to show our commitment to the Carolinas and our community by offering support and making a difference wherever we can and for whoever we can.”

Showmars’ has been serving the Carolinas with fresh, made-to-order Greek and southern staples since 1982, when the founder, George Couchell (affectionately known throughout the Showmars family as Mr. C), opened the doors of his first Charlotte location. Couchell immigrated to the US from Greece and grew up working in his family’s restaurant.

From the beginning, Mr. C was committed to making philanthropy not only a core value in his restaurants, but also a commitment to his community. This pledge led to Showmars making incredible relationships with organizations also committed to making a difference. Through these partnerships and fundraisers, Showmars has distinguished itself as an ally of women and children.

Since 2012, Showmars has had a direct partnership with WSOC-TV’s Family Focus, hosting and sponsoring several programs, including Steve’s Coats for Kids, the 9 Food Drive and School Tools. In 2018 alone, Showmars brought in more than 17,000 coats for Charlotte-area children in need. Showmars, along with other local participating partners, also helped donate 862,000 school supplies and 90,0000 pounds of food to local children and families in need.

“I cannot think of a better company to receive this honor. Our partnership with Showmars over the last several years has been invaluable to the Charlotte community,” said Kevin Campbell, Community Affairs Manager for WSOC-TV. “Whenever we’re in need of support, whether providing a coat for a young child to keep them warm in the winter, or giving a meal to a family in need, Showmars has always been there to answer our call.”

In addition to its work with WSOC-TV, Showmars also hosted The HEARTest Yard + Showmars 5K with Carolina Panthers tight-end Greg Olsen. The annual event’s most recent installation raised more than $120,000 for the Levine Children’s Hospital. In the course of their eight-year partnership with Levine, Showmars has raised more than $500,000 for the children’s hospital.

Other past partnerships include supporting the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Movement, as well as the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Cancer Research. During the Go Red for Women Movement, Showmars celebrated American Heart Month by adding several heart healthy menu options and donating a percentage of sales to the movement. This month, Showmars is also participating in CREW Charlotte’s campaign to turn the Queen City pink during the month of October for breast cancer awareness. Showmars decorated its restaurants with pink ribbons, pink straws and employees joined in by wearing pink Showmars branded t-shirts.

Along with Showmars, GFWC-NC also honored Duke Energy and Domtar for their outstanding support of women and children’s issues in local communities throughout North Carolina. GFWC-NC President Ann Landis and GFWC-NC Director of Junior Clubs LeAndra Ratliff said, “The GFWC of North Carolina is proud to celebrate these three outstanding 2018 Award Recipients. We appreciate their partnership and volunteer spirit!”