GRANT-VALKARIA — A local restaurant known for its Italian seafood and community goodwill hosted a sold-out fundraiser last for a Palm Bay woman fighting metastatic breast cancer, an event that falls on her 33rd birthday and underscores the eatery’s tradition of giving back without taking a cut.
The Italian Fisherman in nearby Grant-Valkaria welcomed guests to the “Fork Cancer: Plates with a Purpose” charity dinner benefiting Hayley Velazquez-Devault, 32, who has called the area home for more than 15 years. Her sister, Javanna Van Arsdale, said the gathering was not just to ease her sibling’s medical burdens but to shine a light on the restaurant’s selfless role in supporting cancer patients, veterans and other causes throughout the year.
“They do this multiple times a year for different people battling cancer and also supporting our veterans and other important causes,” Van Arsdale told Sebastian Daily. “The restaurant does this with taking barely any pay and zero cuts from the money raised.”
Tickets for the event, priced at $45 including tax, sold out quickly, according to Van Arsdale. All proceeds will go toward Velazquez-Devault’s treatments, providing what her sister described as much-needed relief during a challenging time.
“This fundraiser will change her life for the better—if at a minimum it takes one thing off her plate right now,” Van Arsdale added. “This request is less about the fundraiser for her and more specifically about giving thanks to the community that gives and asks for nothing.”
The Italian Fisherman, located at 5890-A U.S. Highway 1, has built a reputation for experiential dining with fresh, never-frozen ingredients, live music and tableside entertainment. But reviews and locals highlight its fundraising efforts as a standout feature.
Owner-operated with a focus on family-style service, the restaurant has hosted similar benefits in the past, drawing praise for its commitment to both Brevard and Indian River county residents.
Van Arsdale said there has been an outpouring of support from the community, which has rallied around her sister since her diagnosis.