He is perhaps the most famous person to have won the lottery. While most people become famous afterwards, many people had heard of Roberto Mendoza beforehand. But why? Because he was once chef to former US President Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W Bush. Alongside his long list of plaudits he was top chef for several Academy Award ceremonies. His long and illustrious career as Head Chef of The Beverley Hills Hotel means he has many anecdotes about the great and the good. And that’s why he new wants to give something back. He recently won $250,000 (around £182,000) and the funds will feed homeless people.
$250,000 Funds Will Feed Homeless
He no longer works at The Beverley Hills Hotel but lives in Charlotte in North Carolina where he works for a large, well-known brand. The win has given him the opportunity to impart some of his good fortune. Admitting he had won nothing before, he acted on his mother’s “lucky feeling” and bought a lottery scratchcard ticket for $5. The ticket came up with the largest prize and he won the incredible amount of money. What’s more, it was the last of the six top prizes – five others had already been claimed.
But he does not intend to benefit. Instead, he said, the funds will feed homeless people locally. In relating his story, he spoke of his concerns as a child in El Salvador. Food was hard to come by due to ongoing war. He recalled days when he was about 14 or 15 years old, of having had nothing to eat that day. Access to food is important and homeless people struggle with the basic necessities of life. Mendoza has a long history of helping the homeless. Every weekend he cooks for homeless people from the streets of Charlotte, grateful for the opportunity that life has given him and wanting to give something back.