FOX 39's Person You Should Know: Dishing Up Good Causes with Mr. C's
By: Christie Nicks
Updated: October 5, 2012
"We sell wings and chicken, you know we bread our own chicken here," said Mr. C's Family Restaurant onwer, John Conforti. "Theres nothing you can't get at anytime of the day."
Conforti and his father set up Mr. C's on Auburn Street 13 years ago, and since then, it's made a lasting impression on the Rockford's westside.
"This neighborhood is pretty close knit, I'm pretty much, I know a lot of people and a lot of people know me and I've been very blessed to be here this long," Conforti said. "Now when I go anywhere I'm like a celebrity 'hey Mr. C!' which is easier to remember than John or something."
Feeding folks might start in the dining room, but it's outside restaurant doors where John helps feed the entire community, one fundraiser at a time.
"Somebody falls off their motorcycle, theres a fire, there's somebody has cancer, if there's fundraisers at a bar, a lot of it get's organized here and people meet here," said Conforti.
Conforti personally gets involved by connecting rookie event planners with fundraising veterans.
"If you just start from scratch, you're just going to spin your wheels," said Conforti, "No sense in reinventing the wheel when you can talk to somebody who's already been involved in fundraisers for the last two years."
From selling candy bars, to accepting donations, Conforti says Mr. C's charitable legacy began when he and his dad first opened the restaurant's doors.
"My dad just loved this side of town," Conforti said. "In fact from the first day we bought this place our number one seem to be charity is the west suburban fire department."
And it's one he plans to continue, even though his partner-in-crime dad isn't around anymore.
"I've been blessed to be here and and I try to live my life the best way I can as a Christian. And if you can't help somebody who's hurting then woe is you."
