Drinking Coffee For a Good Cause
Posted by Linda Busche on Tuesday, September 20, 2011
As a writer for the National Restaurant Association, I knew the cards bore the names of customers who support Dine Out for No Kid HungryTM. And I knew Corner Bakery was one of 5,800 restaurants that support Share Our Strength’s campaign to end childhood hunger. But I made a point of asking about the cards as I ordered an iced coffee.
Oscar, who rang up my coffee, broke into a grin. He began to tell me about the program. For a $1 donation, customers receive a coupon for a free cookie. For a $5 contribution, they receive a coupon book worth $35. For either donation, they get to write their names on the small cards, which then are taped to the wall. “It’s for a good cause,” Oscar told me.
He’s right. The restaurants that participate in Dine Out For No Kid Hungry help provide breakfast, after-school and summer meals through 150 organizations in nearly every state.
Although Dine Out For No Kid Hungy officially started on Sunday, September 18, and runs through Saturday, September 24, some restaurants extend the campaign.
That gives customers extra time or multiple opportunities to support Dine Out For No Kid Hungry. In my case, I can get my morning caffeine fix at one restaurant and my afternoon pick-me-up at another. Lunch and happy hour offer other possibilities. Each restaurant decides how to support the campaign. Some donate a percentage of the week’s sales or sales of a particular item, some accept cash donations, and others offer coupons or discount books in exchange for contributions.
Near my downtown D.C. office, Oscar sold me a $5 booklet, tore off the card and gave me a black Sharpie to write my name. His enthusiasm was so ardent that I nearly walked away without my coffee.
September 20, 2011 | 0 comment(s) | Tags: d.c., dine out, dine out for no kid hungry, no kid hungry, washington
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