Get ideas
See what other restaurateurs are doing in their communities: Check out the national finalists for the Restaurant Neighbor Award.

Organizations
The following national groups, as well as numerous others not listed, offer opportunities for restaurateurs to get involved. Visit their Web sites for more information.
Hunger prevention
Youth development
Improving health
Improving communities

Hunger prevention

Feeding America (www.feedingamerica.org). The nation's largest hunger-relief organization (formerly known as America's Second Harvest) boasts a network of more than 200 food banks and food-rescue programs. They have a special Web site for restaurateurs who want to donate food.

Share Our Strength (www.strength.org). Thousands of culinary and restaurant professionals who organize anti-hunger events, teach cooking and nutrition classes to low-income families, and serve as anti-hunger advocates.

Kitchens, INC (www.dccentralkitchen.org)
DC Central Kitchen's fight against hunger involves both recycling food and operating a job training program. Its community-kitchens venture, Kitchens, INC (Kitchens, In National Cooperation) is a national resource center for training kitchens everywhere.

Meals on Wheels (www.mowaa.org)
The Meals On Wheels Association of America represents local groups that provide congregate and home-delivered meal services to people in need.

Youth Development

ProStart (www.nraef.org/prostart)
An educational partnership of the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association to create a nationwide system of high school hospitality courses linked with mentored worksite experiences.

America's Promise (www.americaspromise.org)
The nation's leading youth development organization dedicated to ensuring that all children have the five promises to succeed in life; a healthy start, a safe place, an effective education, a caring adult and an opportunity to serve. America's Promise mobilizes businesses to help kids achieve the five promises.

National Mentoring Partnership (www.mentoring.org)
Mentored teens are 46% less likely to get into drugs; 59% get better grades; 73% raise their goals. So they grow up to be good employees and taxpayers who strengthen our businesses and our community. There are many ways to mentor - long-term or short, with a variety of organizations. A mentor is an adult who, along with parents, provides young people with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement and constructive example.

Boys and Girls Club (www.bgca.org)
Teaching young people the skills they need to succeed in life. More than 25 national programs are available in the areas of education, the environment, health, the arts, careers, alcohol/drug and pregnancy prevention, gang prevention, leadership development and athletics.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America (www.bbbsa.org)
Provides one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and children primarily from single-parent families in over 500 programs throughout the United States.

Job Corps (www.jobcorpsworks.org)
A public-private partnership administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. Provides academic, vocational, and life skills training for economically disadvantaged youth. Offers training in over 100 trades, including culinary arts.

The National 4-H Council (www.fourhcouncil.edu)
Advances the 4-H youth development movement to build a world in which youth and adults learn, grow and work together as catalysts for positive change.

KaBOOM! (www.kaboom.org)
A national nonprofit that partners with businesses and builds playgrounds and safe places in communities nationwide.

Improving Health

Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (www.breastcancerinfo.com)
National organization with a network of volunteers working through local affiliates and Komen Race for the Cure® events to eradicate breast cancer. Established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36.

American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)
Nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (www.nmss.org)
Dedicated to ending the devastating effects of multiple sclerosis.

American Hospice Foundation (www.americanhospice.org)
Advances the hospice concept of care.

Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (www.jdf.org)
The world's leading nonprofit, nongovernmental funder of diabetes research.

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (www.pedaids.org)
Identifies, funds and conducts pediatric research that will reduce and prevent HIV transmission from mother to child and to improve the lives of children with HIV and AIDS.

Improving Communities

American Red Cross (www.redcross.org)
The American Red Cross is a prominant international presence that provides disaster relief, communication between military personnel and thier families, blood, plasma and tissue donations, CPR training, and health education services.

Salvation Army (www.salvationarmyusa.org)
The Salvation Army is an international organization based on Christian principles that provides a variety of human services, such as food, clothing, counseling, youth programs, adult rehabilitation and disaster relief.

Habitat for Humanity International (www.habitat.org)
Brings families and communities in need together with volunteers and resources to build decent, affordable housing.

Make-A-Wish Foundation (www.wish.org)
Grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

Earth Share (www.earthshare.org)
Federation of leading non-profit environmental and conservation organizations. Promotes environmental education and charitable giving through workplace-giving campaigns.