Senator Umberg Honors Orange County Small Business of the Year

(Annual Ceremony Recognizes La Casa Garcia; above photo with owner and founder Frank Garcia, and his wife and operator Silvia Garcia)

Today, during California Small Business Day, Senator Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) and the California State Legislature honored Frank Garcia, and his wife Sylvia Garcia, small business owners of La Casa Garcia restaurant in Anaheim, Ca. Garcia has been serving the Orange County community since 1973. In addition to owning and operating a restaurant, Frank Garcia established We Give Thanks Inc., a nonprofit corporation, which has served free Thanksgiving dinners to Southern Californians in need for nearly two decades.

“It is my honor to highlight a small business owner like Frank Garcia. Frank and Sylvia are a quintessential component of the Orange County community. Frank is a tireless entrepreneur and philanthropist, and his success is indicative of all his hard work and the hospitality he shows to others,” said Senator Umberg. “The restaurant is a great place to dine with family, friends, and neighbors. Though, it is Frank’s commitment to the betterment of our community through his humanitarian efforts that makes Frank, and his food, special.”

While growing up in Bishop, Texas, Frank learned many meaningful lessons from his father who was born in Mexico, and his loving mother born in Texas. They instilled in him the importance of hard work, being a proud American citizen, and the need to give back to others and be thankful for the daily gifts of life. In 1961, Frank moved to Southern California, and founded La Casa Garcia Restaurant in Anaheim.

“I would like to thank Senator Umberg for this recognition, and his efforts to shed light on the importance of giving back to the community,” said Frank Garcia. “Enhancing the well-being of the less fortunate in Southern California is not something one does for recognition, but if recognition helps the cause, I am very grateful.”

Garcia’s sense of community giving and caring for others inspired him to form the nonprofit organization We Give Thanks, Inc., that has been serving free Thanksgiving dinners to those in need in the community. His efforts have helped serve more than 200,000 free Thanksgiving meals over the years. In 1996, Frank was honored with a “Points of Light Award” from former President Bill Clinton, and he has been the recipient of numerous other recognitions for years of community service and volunteerism. Garcia also has prepared and served food for the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Hospital Veterans Day celebration.

If you would like to nominate a business for Small Business of the Month, please complete the form below.