From now until Oct. 30, $1 from each burrito and bowl sale at the Bradford freshii restaurant will go toward A Bradford Christmas in support of Hockey for Grace charity.
Bradford sisters Sarah and Emily Dahlgren are the duo behind A Bradford Christmas, who host regular community fundraisers for local charities.
This year, the sisters have put their support behind Bradford charity, Hockey for Grace.
Chris and Amy Manning started Hockey for Grace in memory of their daughter Grace, who passed away in 2016 at just eight days old. Weighing only four pounds, four ounces, Grace Gabriella was placed in Neonatal Intensive Care, then transferred to the Hospital for Sick Children where it showed through an MRI she had no brain function, beyond basic brain stem activity that allowed her to breathe.
With the devastating news, The Mannings were able to stay with Grace in her final days at Emily's House, children's hospice in Toronto, where they were able to enjoy their final moments together as a family.
It was shortly after Grace's passing that Chris came up with the idea of the Hockey for Grace annual memorial game, allowing them to raise money for Emily's House.
Each year the game is played with funds raised going to Emily's House.
When the Dahlgren sisters heard about the couple and their memorial game, they wanted to help and have pledged to raise funds for the charity this season, by hosting an online auction next month and partnering with local businesses for fundraising events.
To help kick off the fundraising campaign, freshii Bradford owner Salim Bardai said he would gladly support the cause by donating $1 from all bowl and burrito sales this week to A Bradford Christmas.
"It's our privilege to be a part of the community," said Bardai. "It's our responsibility to help."
Bardai has a 10-month-old son who had to spend some time in the hospital after he was born before being able to come home. Bardai understands the stresses parents endure when caring for an ill child. He is glad that Emily's House is there for parents who need to use their services and is pleased to support the cause.
The sisters are grateful for Badai's support of the cause. Bardai also hosted a similar event in 2020 when the girls were raising money for the Bradford Helping Hand Food Bank,
"We are really excited to be fundraising with freshii again," said Emily.
freshii will be hosting the fundraiser until Oct. 30.
freshii is located at 494 Holland St. W. in Bradford.
