Impact Stories

For Grace Abi-Najm Shea and her siblings, the connection between good food and helping the community is strong – and obvious. “Food has always brought people together – in good times and in bad times. From the very beginning, our restaurants have been places where people come not just for good food, but to be together,” she explains.

Although all of the Lebanese Taverna’s restaurants and shops are in the Greater, Washington DC area, the restaurant is known around the world. “Everyone comes through DC at some point. When they do, many of them come to our restaurant – over and over again. This is one of the ways in which we are similar to AUB,” she says. “Like AUB, the Lebanese Taverna is part of a global community.”

It should come as no surprise therefore that the Lebanese Taverna responded quickly when the World Central Kitchen asked them if they could provide hot meals for some of the Afghan refugees arriving at Dulles Airport. “We have worked with WCK in the past – including in Lebanon. It is an amazing organization. Of course, we were going to help,” says Grace.

Grace and her family were once refugees themselves – leaving Lebanon during the civil war first for Cyprus and later for the US. “It was difficult for my parents especially in the beginning, but we were fortunate compared to so many of the Afghan refugees we have met,” she says.

The Abi-Najm family still has many and strong ties to Lebanon. Tanios, Grace’s father, who bought the original Lebanese Taverna restaurant with his wife, Marie, in 1979, and “dozens of first cousins” live in Lebanon. “We are in touch all the time. We know how difficult the situation is in Lebanon. Everyone has been affected by the economic collapse.”

Like millions around the world, however, Grace and her family were stunned when they saw the announcement in mid-August that the lives of some patients at the AUB Medical Center were at risk because of fuel shortages. “We knew the situation was bad, but still it came as a shock – that this should be happening to AUB. It was just unimaginable,” she remembers.

Although the family had already mobilized its customers and friends to support the Lebanese Red Cross and WCK after the August 4, 2020, explosion in the Beirut port, they wanted to do more. So, they sent an email to their 50,000 subscribers asking them to support the AUBMC Emergency Fuel Fund that is providing funds to purchase fuel oil needed to keep ventilators and other lifesaving medical devices operational, and the AUBMC Needy Patient Fund, which provides financial assistance to patients who would not otherwise be able to afford the medical care they need. “It’s part of the Lebanese spirit that we take care of each other,” says Grace. “My family – all of us – are so grateful to be part of this wonderful community.” AUB received almost $7,000 from 38 donors as a result of the Lebanese Taverna appeal.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Lebanese Taverna for this initiative. It has been a good friend to our university over the years, hosting alumni chapter events on several occasions. We are also deeply grateful to everyone who donated in response to this appeal for their support during this very difficult time in Lebanon,” said Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations-North America and general secretary of WAAAUB (AUB’s alumni association) Lina Jazi.