Aimee Furness spent most of October thinking about pizza sales at California Pizza Kitchen — particularly Thursday and Friday nights’ numbers.
As a board member for ConnectiKids, a Hartford-based nonprofit that provides tutoring to low-income children, Furness had arranged for 20 percent of meal proceeds at the Westfarms Mall pizzeria to be donated to the organization, a charitable meal-deal of sorts.
While restaurant fundraisers are nothing new, they have grown in popularity as many nonprofits explore new opportunities to raise money in an uncertain economy. For Furness, a Cigna marketing executive, a restaurant-based campaign allowed her to raise money and awareness of her organization without the traditional ‘hard ask.’
“These days, many people may not have much money to give to charity, but they need to eat” Furness said. “This [type of campaign] allows people to have a night out and support a good cause.”
And many restaurants across Connecticut — from fast food chains to sit-down family restaurants — are lining up to play their part. That’s because restaurant fund raising events do more than fill a nonprofit’s coffers; they also, it seems, fill seats.
Stuart Davis, marketing coordinator for TL Cannon Management Corp., which runs seven Applebee’s locations in Connecticut, says that during fund raising nights, Applebee’s typically attracts between 5 to 20 percent more customers. That success has led the restaurant chain to establish a formal charitable events program: Dining to Donate.
“We have a few dozen organizations participate in the program each year,” said Davis, estimating his restaurants host between 55 to 60 events annually in Connecticut. Participating organizations, he said, vary widely — from local Scout troops to statewide health-related charities.
The amounts raised can also vary widely too.
“Typically, our events net between $100 — $200,” Davis explained, noting some more successful events have raised several hundred dollars. While the returns from these events are often modest, so are the time commitment and costs of planning them, factors that make these programs attractive to organizations short on staff and cash. And most restaurants — including Applebee’s — provide flyers that nonprofits can use to promote the event.
Much of the success of these meal deals, of course, depends on customer turn-out because, in most cases, participating restaurants only donate a portion of meals purchased by patrons who mention the event or provide a voucher.
“It’s up to the nonprofit to promote their event and educate their network,” said Davis, “but these types of events typically require only a few hours time.”
And that time is often by put in by volunteers like Aimee Furness, who used the ConnectiKids’ website and her social media network to drive customers to California Pizza Kitchen throughout October. Of course, she’s done thinking about pizza sales these days. Now, she’s just hoping the biggest slice of the proverbial pizza pie goes to benefit her organization.
$1 MILLION GIFT TO HOSPITAL
The Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation Inc. has awarded Hospital for Special Care $1 million in support of its $5.9 million capital campaign. The ‘Hope Campaign’ initiative will fund expansion of HSC’s specialty outpatient programs at the hospital’s New Britain campus. The Hoffman Foundation’s grant is the largest single gift to the campaign and the new facility will be named The Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Outpatient Center. Pictured are, back row from left, David Crandall, hospital president and CEO; Dr. John J. Votto, president and CEO/chief of staff; Marion L. Barrak, president, Hoffman Foundation; and Hoffman trustees Dr. Robert M. Jeresaty and Michael B. Chaho. Front row, from left, are Hoffman trustees Dr. Marie Gustin and Joseph J. Fauliso.
