On a pleasant October evening in Chicago, billionaire Richard Evans dined alone at Michelin-starred Marlowe’s when a tattered, hungry girl named Emily, about 11, asked, “Sir, may I eat with you?” Her voice cut through the restaurant’s hum. Evans, a self-made man who once survived Chicago’s streets himself, recognized her desperation. He invited her to sit, ordered her a meal, and learned of her tragic past—orphaned, recently losing her grandmother. Moved by memories of his own childhood hunger, Evans offered her a home, education, and a chance at a new life.
Emily struggled to adjust, hoarding food out of fear, but Evans promised she’d never go hungry again. Years later, she thrived, earning a Columbia scholarship. At her valedictorian speech, she revealed her story began with that simple question and Evans’ kindness. Inspired, she launched the “Can I Eat With You?” Foundation, funded by Evans’ donation, to help homeless children. The initiative gained national support. Every October 15, they return to Marlowe’s, serving meals to kids on the sidewalk, proving one question and one yes can change everything.