URBANA — If you are feeling amorous these days, Wood N’ Hog Barbecue in Urbana is the location to be.

From 11 a.m. to about three p.m., any one coming by way of the door will be provided a voucher for $ten off an order in celebration of “National Day of Like,” courtesy of the Banks Foundation, Inc., and restaurant co-owners Michael McDonald and his sister, Okema Battle.

“It began in 2017 in Houston, Texas,” mentioned McDonald. “Each year on the third Saturday in March they celebrate appreciate by way of providing.”

‘They’ are McDonald’s University of Illinois college buddies, Charles and Deidre Banks. The trio all attended the UI about the very same time, starting in 1999.

Charles Banks earned his degree in mechanical engineering though Deidre Banks, who married her husband in 2007 right after graduation, got bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy.

“They are just sort and generous,” mentioned McDonald of his fellow alumni and extended-time buddies who have accomplished nicely in their professions and are committed to sharing.

“They are going to come in and set up a booth in our restaurant and as patrons come in, they will give them a voucher for a discount. They hope folks would then reciprocate the act of kindness,” mentioned McDonald, who’s enjoyed a bit of accomplishment with his delectable barbecue.

McDonald and his sister began humbly in a north Champaign strip mall in 2016.

In 2019, they moved their operation to the web page of the former Li’l Porgy’s at 101 W. University Ave., U. They also have a place at 500 N. Walnut St., in downtown Champaign that is open only Monday by way of Friday.

“We’re performing seriously nicely,” mentioned McDonald. “I assume COVID in fact gave us a various viewpoint. If you can get by way of COVID, you can get by way of something. Men and women had been extremely driven to maintain the smalls (locally-owned restaurants) open.”

McDonald is grateful to the regulars who have kept his organization going and right away mentioned yes when the Bankses contacted him about partnering with them for National Day of Like.

“We’re going to match their generosity,” mentioned McDonald of the $1,000 worth of vouchers that the Banks Foundation intends to hand out.

“Our hope is to make this come to be contagious. We see folks do it in line at the grocery shop and Starbucks,” he mentioned of people who give to spend for an individual else’s order.

McDonald mentioned prospects who come by way of the doors of his restaurant have the suggests to spend and the intention to invest in the meals they prepare. He’s hoping to attain a handful of other individuals these days.

“I told some social workers at college who know households who typically do not patronize us simply because they cannot afford it. I’ve encouraged folks to come through that time. If you come in, we are going to take care of you. You can order what you want. The objective is to enable households,” he mentioned.

He hopes that these who have the suggests to spend will probably invest in an additional meal and give it to an individual else or just spend forward the kindness in one more way.

That is what the Banks Foundation is all about, mentioned CEO Deidre Banks.

“Purposeful acts of appreciate are planned events or actions made use of to positively influence our communities by way of appreciate,” she mentioned.

Deidre Banks, who mentioned she loved accounting and worked for each Exxon and the Internal Income Service in that field, left her paying job to run the foundation that she and her husband began about six years ago.

She mentioned she drew inspiration and assistance from Jennifer LeClaire, founder of Awakening Prayer Hub, a Florida-primarily based international prayer movement in 76 nations.

Charles Banks continues to perform for Exxon as an engineer, a position he’s held for just about 20 years. They are the parents of Charles, 9, and Michael, 13.

They began their foundation in Houston, exactly where they spent 14 years of their lives in their respective fields. They now reside in Naperville.

A huge component of their mission is to award scholarships to college freshmen and sophomores interested in leadership, caring about other individuals and providing back to their communities.

At the finish of 2021, they endowed the “National Day of Like Neighborhood Scholarship” at the UI with their personal funds and matching enable from Exxon.

They also have assisted with college supplies and other neighborhood outreach applications.

The providing away meals notion started final year.

“We did it in Bolingbrook at a soul meals restaurant,” mentioned Deidre Banks.

She and her husband instructed the owner that right after folks ordered to inform them the payment was taken care of.

“We sat in the back and watched. That was a lot of enjoyable. We had been in a position to take care of 25 households,” she mentioned of that day’s work.

Figuring out McDonald and possessing ties to the UI, Wood N’ Hog was an effortless selection to enable spread their message of appreciate this year. They intend to have their sons present to help.

“Certain points validate and reinforce,” a grateful and excited McDonald mentioned of the form of generosity they strategy these days. “When they reached out, I mentioned, ‘Let’s do it.’ This neighborhood is generous.”