Image by GroupRaise
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 19, 2020
GroupRaise “Takeout for Good” Event Raised Over $40K for Local Food Banks June 2nd
Over 20,000 Americans nationwide ordered takeout in support of local restaurants and families in need
HOUSTON: Something beautiful happened on June 2nd.
Despite COVID-19 and evening curfews in many cities, the GroupRaise “Takeout for Good” fundraiser was still successful. Based on results restaurants have reported so far, the event brought in more than $200,000 in takeout orders for local restaurants across the country which then donated over $40,000 to their community food banks.
More than 1500 restaurants nationwide participated in the fundraiser, donating 15-25% of the proceeds from takeout orders to their local food banks.
Restaurant fundraising platform and social impact company GroupRaise organized the event to help restaurants reconnect with their communities and generate much-needed donations for food banks.
“It’s amazing to see community-minded people across the country stepped up to fight hunger and support their local restaurants. On June 2nd, making a difference was as simple as ordering takeout,” said GroupRaise Co-founder and CEO Devin Baptiste.
Food-insecure families are still in a tough spot. As millions of people have become suddenly unemployed, many have had to rely on food banks to make ends meet. But several food banks are struggling to keep up with the increased demand.
Local restaurants aren’t out of the woods either. Already weakened by the pandemic, many faced even further damage — either financial or physical — during the protests of the past few weeks.
Beyond Takeout for Good, GroupRaise is encouraging people to keep their communities strong by bringing business to local restaurants and lending support to nonprofits where they can. Community members can do both by holding restaurant fundraisers for their own causes. Learn more about how to set up your own restaurant fundraiser on the GroupRaise website.
If you’re a restaurant owner interested in hosting local community groups for fundraisers, get your restaurant listed on the GroupRaise platform.
About GroupRaise
GroupRaise is the nation’s leading restaurant fundraising platform, connecting local individuals and groups who want to host a fundraiser with restaurants in their area excited to host. GroupRaise works with over 10,000 restaurant locations across the U.S. and has helped over 50,000 local organizations raise funds for their causes. To find out more, visit www.groupraise.com.
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**MEDIA ALERT**UPCOMING EVENT**MEDIA ALERT**
GroupRaise Rolling Out Takeout Tuesday Event For Local Restaurants and Families in Need
Over 1500 local restaurants and counting will partake in nationwide effort on June 2nd donating portion of proceeds to local food banks
What: Restaurant fundraising platform GroupRaise is inviting the nation to take part in ‘Takeout For Good’ on Tuesday, June 2nd. The event is part of a national fundraiser where participating restaurants will donate 15%-25% of the sales from this event to local food banks.
How It Works:
When: Tuesday, June 2, 2020 (participating restaurant hours vary)
Where: Hotspots like IHOP, Wendy’s, and On the Border will be taking part. For the full list of local participating restaurants, click here.
Why: The GroupRaise National Takeout For Good aims to keep restaurants and their communities connected while raising funds for at-risk families directly impacted by COVID-19. We’re asking everyone who can to ditch their kitchen for a day and order takeout to support local businesses and food-insecure families.
About GroupRaise
GroupRaise is the nation’s leading restaurant fundraising platform, connecting local individuals and groups who want to host a fundraiser with restaurants in their area excited to host. GroupRaise works with over 10,000 restaurant locations across the U.S. and has helped over 50,000 local organizations raise funds for their causes. To find out more, visit www.groupraise.com.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, May 20th, 2020
GroupRaise Rolls Out Takeout Tuesday For Families in Need and Local Restaurants
Americans nationwide called on to order takeout on June 2nd to support local restaurants and combat hunger in the U.S.
HOUSTON: Mark your calendar and ditch the kitchen while giving back to not one but two worthy causes as part of GroupRaise’s Takeout For Good on June 2nd.
GroupRaise, the nation’s leading restaurant fundraising platform, is inviting restaurants across the country to join their Takeout For Good initiative happening on June 2nd. Participating restaurants will donate 15%-25% of sales to their local food bank and over 1500 restaurants nationwide have already joined the initiative.
With thousands of restaurants forced to close their dining rooms, and millions of Americans facing sudden unemployment, GroupRaise saw an opportunity to mobilize its 10,000+ restaurant partners along with their communities to offer those who are able a chance to support both local business and food distribution to at-risk families.
“The goal is to raise funds for a cause deeply impacted by COVID-19 while keeping restaurants connected with their communities,” said Devin Baptiste, Co-founder and CEO of GroupRaise. “When you see that over 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment in a matter of weeks, it’s clear that there is a need and we saw how to help–one day dedicated to uplifting families in need in our communities while assisting local restaurants.”
Over 200 food banks face a surge in demand for emergency food aid in the wake of COVID-19. According to PBS, some food banks are experiencing as much as 4x the usual volume of community members needing aid from food pantries–in some cases requiring assistance from the National Guard.
To get involved, you can commit to order a meal from a participating local restaurant on June 2nd here: www.takeoutforgood.com.
About GroupRaise
GroupRaise is the nation’s leading restaurant fundraising platform, connecting local individuals and groups who want to host a fundraiser with restaurants in their area excited to host. GroupRaise works with over 10,000 restaurant locations across the U.S. and has helped over 50,000 local organizations raise funds for their causes. To find out more, visit www.groupraise.com.
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Devin Baptiste, Co-founder and CEO of GroupRaise:
Post-event
“It’s amazing to see community-minded people across the country stepped up to fight hunger and support their local restaurants. On June 2nd, making a difference was as simple as ordering takeout.”
Pre-event
“The goal is to raise funds for a cause deeply impacted by COVID-19 while keeping restaurants connected with their communities. When you see that over 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment in a matter of weeks, it’s clear that there is a need and we saw how to help–one day dedicated to uplifting families in need in our communities while assisting local restaurants.”
Quotes from fundraising restaurants: Why do YOU give back?
Takeout for Good:
Takeout for Good Home Page (search for participating restaurants): https://www.takeoutforgood.com/
Restaurant Signup Page for Takeout for Good: https://www.takeoutforgood.com/restaurant-signup
Feeding America Find Your Local Food Bank: https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
GroupRaise:
GroupRaise Home Page: https://www.groupraise.com/
GroupRaise Restaurant Fundraisers: What, Where, and How: https://www.groupraise.com/restaurant-fundraisers
Restaurant Brands Currently Using GroupRaise: https://www.groupraise.com/brand-directory
GroupRaise Cities and Communities: https://www.groupraise.com/cities-and-communities
Social Media:
GroupRaise Twitter Takeout for Good
What is GroupRaise?
GroupRaise is a marketplace that helps groups of 20-200 people make orders/reservations at restaurants willing to donate a % of the sales back to a charitable cause. GroupRaise is now operating with over 10,000 restaurant customers, including California Pizza Kitchen, Jason’s Deli, and MOD Pizza as well as 5000+ independently owned/operated restaurants across all 50 states.
Who are the co-founders?
Devin Baptiste, Founder and CEO of GroupRaise
Kevin Valdez, Co-Founder and COO of GroupRaise
Paul Kwiatkowski, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Sean Park, Co-Founder and Head of Marketing
How many restaurant locations are on the GroupRaise platform?
10,000+
How many states does GroupRaise operate in?
All 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. and San Juan, Puerto Rico
How many cities does GroupRaise operate in?
200+ cities across the country
How many local organizations have used GroupRaise to connect with restaurants giving back?
50,000+
How many restaurants participated in Takeout for Good on June 2nd?
1500+
How many community members across the country participated in Takeout for Good? (restaurant reports still rolling in)
20,000+
How much have restaurants donated to food banks through the Takeout for Good fundraiser? (restaurant reports still rolling in)
$40,000+
How much business did the Takeout for Good event drive to local restaurants? (restaurant reports still rolling in)
$200,000+
How many people work in the restaurant industry?
15.6 million. More than 6 in 10 adults have worked in the restaurant industry at some point during their lives.
(Source: National Restaurant Association)
About how many restaurant workers have lost their jobs since the beginning of COVID-19?
8+ million
(Source: National Restaurant Association)
How much have sales fallen in the restaurant industry in recent months?
Sales were down 78% in early April
(Source: National Restaurant Association)
How important is restaurant community involvement for consumers?
“49% Consumers who say they are likely to make a restaurant choice based on how much a restaurant supports charitable activities and the local community.”
(Source: National Restaurant Association)
How many people are unemployed in the US (as of May 2020)?
36+ million
(Source: The Guardian)
How does unemployment affect food insecurity?
For every 1.1% increase in unemployment, an estimated 3.3 million people could become food-insecure
(Source: Feeding America)
How many food-insecure people are there in the US?
In 2018, there were 37 million people in the US that were food-insecure, 11.5% of the population
(Source: Feeding America)
How many people rely on food banks?
40+ million people relied food banks last year
(Source: The Guardian)
How has demand for food banks increased since COVID-19?
Demand for food banks is up 4x in some areas
(Source: PBS)
Image by GroupRaise
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