In 1987, Antonio Fundora and Maria Llanes met on a blind date in Atlanta, GA. Maria and her mother, Iluminada had moved from Chicago to Atlanta in 1984 to pursue their own careers. At the encouragement of her mother’s coworker, Maria agreed to accept her mother’s friend’s invitation to meet Antonio Fundora on a blind date. Who could have known then just how much these two Cuban natives would have in common or how extensively their lives would touch so many others around the world with hope, courage, inspiration and love over the next twenty-six years. Maria is the General Manager and Antonio is the Master Chef at their restaurant Casa Nuova in Alpharetta, GA, which opened in 1998. Not only do they make a successful team in business but they share their success very generously in their community and far beyond. Their presence in the Alpharetta and Cu***ng community reaches the hearts and lives of hundreds of regular patrons as they infuse encouragement and inspiration to all those who their frequent Authentic Italian restaurant. Their many faithful patrons return again and again for the authentic Italian food and many say they come even more often for that sense of balance in faith, family and friendship that Antonio and Maria cultivate with a genuine and sincere sense of personal concern in their community. Antonio and Maria Fundora are well known for their generous outreach to others who need to find hope and purpose in life. Antonio worked very hard, seven days a week for many years so he could bring 56 members of his family to the United States to pursue their own freedom, American dreams of hope and purpose. After retiring from AT&T, Maria’s mother, “Mama” Milian, worked at Casa Nuova until her death in 2007, when she died from pancreatic cancer. Maria has founded the Purple Pansies Organization in memory of beloved mother, to heighten the awareness of and to raise support for pancreatic cancer research. In the years since it’s inception, the organization has helped raise approximately 450k for this cause. Purple Pansies has partnered with the JCM Foundation and TGEN Foundation, a leading research organization that is making significant progress in their search for causes and the cure of pancreatic cancer. Maria’s goal this year is to raise 150k with the help of TGEN Foundation and others. You can learn more about the Purple Pansies Organization at their website purplepansies.org.
