Get Involved

How Your Restaurant Can Help End Childhood Hunger

A week-long initiative that encourages consumers to "dine out" in restaurants to raise money to end childhood hunger in America.

Share Our Strength's Great American Dine Out is a national program that unites thousands of restaurants and millions of consumers in the fight to end childhood hunger in America. For one week each year, thousands of restaurants—from coffee shops to fine dining establishments—offer consumers a chance to do good by eating out.

Now in its second year, the money raised during the Great American Dine Out helps Share Our Strength fund community programs that provide resources and services to children right here in our communities.

But we need your help.

Why Should You Get Involved?

In the world's wealthiest nation, no child should grow up hungry. Yet, over the course of the year, more than 12 million children in American worry about when their next meal will come. That's one in six who are at risk of hunger and who have limited or uncertain access to the nutritious foods they need to thrive. The funds raised through the Great American Dine Out help connect families to food.

At this time of great need, participating in the Great American Dine Out is a way to express your restaurant's social responsibility.

• Attract new customers and bring your regulars back through promotions.
• Leverage your active support of Share Our Strength and its cause with your customers.
• Enjoy increased visibility in the marketplace from Share Our Strength's national campaign and sponsor outreach efforts.

Flexible Ways to Participate

Last year was a big success: more than 4,000 restaurants and millions of customers participated in the first annual Great American Dine Out. You can create the way you want to participate. Some ways that restaurants have participated include:

• Create a Fall menu item and donate the proceeds.
• Customize and market a Great American Dine Out coupon to customers.
• Donate a percentage of sales during the Great American Dine Out week.
• Co-host a special Great American Dine Out dinner with a vendor or local celebrity and donate the proceeds.
• Print T-shirts or caps and sell them to your customers.
• Print out our Apple Coupons provided online in our Resource Center (link) and sell them for $1. Have your customers sign each purchased coupon to show their support to end childhood hunger in American, then post the coupons on your restaurant's Hall of Fame. Donate the proceeds.
• Rally employees with a contest to raise the most in donations.
• Secure a matching grant from a supplier or other business partner.
• Encourage your customers to make their own donations.

Restaurants Already Participating

Look who has already signed up for the 2009 Great American Dine Out!

See more participating restaurants in your area »

 

Registration is Closed for 2009

If you have any questions or would like to be contacted when registration opens for 2010, please contact Jessie Sherrer or call (202) 478-6505.

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What They Say

Here's what some of the participating restaurants had to say about Share Our Strength's first annual Great American Dine Out.

"This event was designed for our industry. It was the perfect fit for us."

- R.J. Cooper, Executive Chef, Vidalia

"The Great American Dine out is an important event that unites the restaurant industry and allows us to make great strides towards ending childhood hunger in America. We are proud to be part of this initiative."

- Judy Shoulak, Senior VP, Operations, Buffalo Wild Wings

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Register Your Restaurant

Once you sign up for the Great American Dine Out, you will have access to our online Resource Center where you can download marketing and PR materials to promote the Great American Dine Out in your city. We've created ads, posters, table tents, press releases, fact sheets, promotional timelines, bounce back coupons and more.

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Did You Know...

Hunger is a reality for more than 12 million children in America.

• Hunger predisposes our children to behavioral difficulties.
• The average monthly food stamp benefit is $93 per person — barely $1 per meal.
• Households with children have a food insecurity rate almost double that of households without children, increasing their risk of hunger tremendously.
• More than one-third of individuals served by food banks are children under 18.