Australian restaurants and their patrons have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for organisations assisting the homeless.
The fundraising organisation StreetSmart Australia has announced that despite economic uncertainty its 2008 “dine out to help out’ campaign raised $260,000 in the six weeks before Christmas.
Across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, where the campaign is run, 238 restaurants participated in the campaign—an increase of 53 participants on 2007.
Il Contro Restaurant in Brisbane took the title of Streetsmart’s national fundraiser of the year with $6,542. Meanwhile Longrain in Sydney was the top New South Wales fundraiser followed by Il Solito Posto in Melbourne.
The amount raised last year was the largest figure to date in the campaign since it launched in 2003. Altogether its raised more than $730,000 over those years.
As a result of the fundraising StreetSmart said it would be funding 63 grassroots projects delivering emergency aid as well as longer term programs helping to move people out of homelessness. All of the funds raised through participating restaurants go to homeless organisations with the majority of the grant recipients located in the same area as the participating restaurants.
StreetSmart CEO Adam Robinson, said the campaign gives local diners and restaurants the chance to contribute back to their local community. “Most people appreciate the opportunity to help the smaller organisations that often struggle to attract funding and don't have the resources or budgets to fundraise themselves,” he said.
Robinson said many of the projects StreetSmart supports are transforming lives. Projects such as the Choir of Hard Knocks and the Big Issue Street Socceroos both received early funding from StreetSmart and this year a wide variety of programs have been supported.
Here’s the full list of winners in the 2008 StreetSmart Fundraising Awards:
National fundraiser of the Year: Il Centro Restaurant, Brisbane
NSW and ACT top ten fundraisers
Longrain (Also NSW fundraiser of the year)
Toko Restaurant and Bar
La Grande Bouffe
Bills Surry Hills
Kazbah on Darling
Icons Brasserie
Coast
The Book Kitchen
Universal Restaurant
Perama
Victorian top ten
Il Solito Posto (also Victorian fundraiser of the year)
Mecca Bah
GPO Restaurant & Lounge Bar, Bendigo (also regional fundraiser of the year
Longrain Melbourne
Livebait
SunnySide Up Café
Cosi Bar Restaurant
Sails on the Bay
Birdman Eating
Italy 1 Camberwell
Queensland top ten
Il Centro Restaurant (also national and Qld fundraiser of the year
Mecca Bah, Brisbane
e'cco bistro
Montrachet
Moo Moo
Brett's Wharf
Bella Venezia
Luxe Restaurant
Birches Restaurant
Dell ' Ugo New Farm