Eight North Perth restaurants and caterers are participating in the United Way Perth-Huron’s Unite for a Bite fundraiser on Nov. 18, during which they will each be selling a set meal for $20 with five dollars from each of those meals going to United Way supported organizations that serve some of the municipality’s most vulnerable residents.
The United Way Perth-Huron and its North Perth community committee is inviting locals to Unite for a Bite next week to raise money in support of the local organizations that serve some of that municipality’s most vulnerable residents.
On Nov. 18, eight local restaurants and caterers will each offer a specific meal for a cost of $20 and then donate $5 from each purchase to the North Perth organizations supported by the United Way Perth-Huron.
“We’ve got our (restaurants and caterers) signed up, so our next job is to try and get groups, families and businesses signed up to have a nice Friday lunch … while supporting the United Way,” said Lee-Anne Andriessen, chair of the local United Way’s North Perth community committee.
During last year’s inaugural fundraiser, participating restaurants and caterers sold roughly 650 meals and raised more than $6,000 for local organizations supported by the United Way that address #unignorable issues like a lack of housing, low income, mental health, access to services, intimate- partner violence and food insecurity.
“So it was a very successful first year and, of course, we’d love to see it expanded this year to many more people,” said Todd Kasenberg, the United Way Perth-Huron’s regional development manager for North Perth. “Last year was very focused on the workplace and workplace groups in North Perth. This year, we’re really trying to expand it. The whole community has an opportunity to come together and have a meal from wonderful establishments and make a difference for those unignorable issues in North Perth.”
While the Unite for a Bite fundraiser caught on among groups of co-workers and employers looking to buy a meal for their workers while supporting a worthy cause, Kasenberg said individuals and families are also encouraged to participate this year. In at least one case last year, one patron purchased meals for locals in need while another bought lunch for students at a nearby school.
“So they did some charitable good while also supporting the United Way,” said Kasenberg, adding he hopes to see more of that this year.
Participating restaurants and caterers include the Atwood Café, Country Style Family Restaurant, Diana Sweets, Holy Guacamole, JoAnne’s Catering, the Kitchen Cupboard, Spice India and Veky’s International Cuisine.
“We like to be able to help the community in any way that we can. … We came to Canada in 1997. We came to London … then we came to Listowel and we’ve been involved in this business for six or seven years. … It wasn’t easy in the beginning and I think it’s important that people know we were here at a time when we didn’t have (much), and now we are at a time when we do have (a lot to be thankful for) and we want to give back,” said Vesna Stojcic, owner of Veky’s, who will be selling a chicken ranch wrap with Vecky’s house salad on Nov. 18.
“That’s why we want to help in any way that we can because we were there at one point in our life.”
North Perth residents, groups and employers interested in ordering a Unite for a Bite meal are asked to place their orders from participating restaurants by Nov. 11.
All funds raised by the United Way in North Perth stay in North Perth to support local organizations like the Salvation Army’s Hope Links Connection Centre, which was opened in May and supports those living rough and others living in poverty by providing a safe space and access to basic needs such as meals, showers, laundry facilities and connections to social services.