National Restaurant Association Galvanizes Industry to Support Dine for America Hurricane Relief Effort
Restaurants, employees and guests unite to aid those impacted by Hurricane Katrina
September 02, 2005
Contact: Sue Hensley 202-331-5964, Katharine Kim 202-331-5939
(Washington, DC) On October 5, 2005, restaurants across the country will band together in a "Dine for America" day, a national fundraising effort to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and help those affected by Hurricane Katrina and their families.
A Web site - www.dineforamerica.org - will be launched on Thursday, September 8, where participating restaurants—independent operators and national chains, tableservice and quickservice—can choose from a menu of options on how they would like to participate. Additionally, artwork for promotional materials such as posters, tray liners, table tents, and donation canisters will be available for download on the site.
Operators can donate all or part of their sales or proceeds on October 5, make a donation for each guest served, make a donation for each sale of a specific item, or make a donation of a set amount. One hundred percent of the funds raised will go to the hurricane victims and their families via the Red Cross.
"In 2001, Dine for America mobilized more than 8,000 restaurants and raised more than $20 million," said Association President and Chief Executive Officer Steven C. Anderson. "We hope to exceed that goal with this effort. Restaurants are the cornerstone of local communities across the nation and that is especially evident in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the lives, homes and businesses of millions of Americans."
"This is an opportunity for the industry to come together for a common cause and help our neighbors in the South in a time of desperate need. While short-term relief efforts are ongoing, the long-term effects are yet to be known and the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast region will take a long time. Not only do these Americans need help today, but they will need help throughout the fall," said Steve Stoddard, CEO, Restaurants Unlimited, Inc.
Restaurants interested in participating should go to www.restaurant.org for more information. The www.dineforamerica.org Web site is scheduled to be launched on Thursday, September 8.
The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 900,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 12.2 million employees - making it the cornerstone of the economy, career opportunities and community involvement. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.
