Help Sunrise Caribbean Restaurant Make Urgent Repairs

Nadine Dedier, Lore Rosenthal and Michael Hartman are raising funds on behalf of Alisa Plaza and Sunrise Caribbean Restaurant bringing authentic, flavorful island cuisine and diversity to our community.

Though newly opened as a “brick and mortar” restaurant, Sunrise delicacies are not new to Greenbelt. Locals have known and loved Sunrise for many years through their participation in the Green Man and Labor Day Festivals.

Alisa took a bold step to follow her dream and share the warmth and taste of the Caribbean through Sunrise. From the many vegan and nonvegan savory options to homemade sides and desserts, Sunrise offers something truly special — a restaurant where the whole community and culture come together.

The Challenge

The startup process was both unexpectedly difficult and expensive. Alisa was shocked when she first saw the state of the kitchen that was left by the previous tenants, as this video shows.

https://youtu.be/FQG_NYwc3vw

In addition to having spent considerable time, energy and expense to clean up the kitchen the stove hood, a “built-in” standard restaurant kitchen feature had to be replaced. The county’s inspections conducted before Sunrise could open confirmed the neglect and code violations in the kitchen.

Despite these challenges, through the determination of Alisa, with the suppoort and assistance of family and friends, Sunrise opened to the delight of its many followers and supporters.

But now, just as they are getting settled in, Sunrise is facing serious new challenges that threaten its ability to stay open, in the face of a desperate need of replacements, upgrades and repairs.

The owners of Sunrise have continued to push forward, doing their best to keep the doors open, but the situation has become unsustainable, but not unbeatable. These are not cosmetic upgrades — they are essential repairs for the health and safety of the staff, the quality of the food, and the future of the business.

The Need

We’re asking for your help to raise $20,000 to cover:

• A full replacement of the HVAC system

• Repairs and upgrades to the walk-in freezer units

• Necessary electrical or infrastructure work to support the improvements

Every dollar will go directly to ensuring Sunrise can operate in a safe, functional environment.

Supporting Sunrise is about more than fixing a building — it's about giving a fair chance to two hardworking entrepreneurs who simply want to serve good food, share their culture and build something meaningful for the community.

How You Can Help:

• Donate any amount — every bit helps

• Share this campaign with your friends, family, and social media

• Leave a message of support for Alisa and Rass Sello

Let’s come together to preserve this vital member of our community and keep Sunrise shining.

Thank you for your kindness and support.

#SaveSunriseCaribbean #SunriseStrong #SupportLocal