A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT by Meg White If Thursday is the new Friday, then dining out is the new endowment.
Recently I have half-jokingly announced every time I eat at a restaurant that I am going out to boost the economy. Sure, my meal is not going to single-handedly end the recession. But I say “half-jokingly” for a reason. Communal food consumption is a vital piece of the fabric of one’s community, and restaurants are difficult to maintain even in good economic times. Foodies across the nation have a duty to continue doing their thing to help preserve local sources of cuisine. I happen to believe that it is not only my duty to my community to spend some dollars to maintain the hard-working chefs and wait staff of Chicago, but also it is imperative I get out of my tiny kitchen from time to time for my own mental health. Foodie or not, you have an incredible opportunity next Thursday to increase the philanthropic bang for your restaurant-bound buck. , an event that sees more than 3,500 restaurants all over North America donating proceeds to local charities, will be held April 30. Last year alone, the event raised over $3.9 million dollars for HIV/AIDS service providers across North America. Rather than benefiting some huge behemoth of an organization, the fundraiser follows one of the basic tenets of successful, yet far-ranging charities: the needs of local communities are diverse, and are best served by a grassroots entity. Here in Chicago, proceeds go to benefit providing housing and support to people of all ages who are living with AIDS in Chicagoland. AIDSCare has been assisting individuals and families impacted by HIV/AIDS to improve their quality of life since 1992.
If that weren’t convincing enough, there’s a wealth of fantastic restaurants to choose from. The restaurants range from eclectic fusion to stripped-down diners to white tablecloth there’s something for everyone.