Overview
Instead of cash or volunteers, some charities might need food and beverage service at a charity location or event. If you’re a restaurant, this is a good chance to show off your menu while doing good. As a retailer, you can find a restaurant partner to help with a donation.
See the Charity & Community Give-Back Guide for the comprehensive approach to this topic.
Details
Say there’s a Habitat for Humanity build going on in your neighborhood. Maybe you can’t volunteer with the group, but perhaps, as a restaurant or cafe, you could donate coffee, pastries or sandwiches. Or, if you operate a salon or spa, you could offer 10-minute massages to volunteers. Not only would you be helping a cause in need, your business would be associated with a great cause.
Other ideas include:
- Donate coffee or pastries to a local charity’s monthly meeting
- Donate pizza or subs to a fire station
- Provide catering for your non-profit theater
- Set up a table of beverages and snacks at a community fair, charity race or other event
- Drop off healthy snacks for a children’s event at your local community center
Don’t forget to include menus, business cards or other information about your business when you drop off your donated goods. Or, if you’re able to have a representative from your team on site, make sure they are well-versed in how your company is involved in your community, and what other catering or special services you offer.
Handle this catering like any catering service. See:
Work with your charity partner to see if it is okay if you have a small sign featuring your logo to inform people of your donation.
As with most all charity work and building awareness of your involvement, be sure you’re being tasteful and appropriate. It will look negative if it appears the only reason why you’re doing a charity event is to try to get attention for company. Doing good should come first, and exposure for you comes second.
To see some guidelines for recruiting employees for events, see our LSMGuide marketing activity:
Photo Source: flickr.com/photos/ralphandjenny/4670091146
