The food community has announced the following efforts to help victims of Hurricane Katrina:
The Red Cross cannot accept large collections of used clothing, furniture or canned goods, and asks for financial gifts instead. Call 800-HELP NOW, or make a contribution at redcross.org.
Nation’s Restaurant News has created a hurricane forum for the food-service industry at nrnonline.blogspot.com. Restaurateurs may use the site to communicate the status of their businesses to employees, for staffers to let their employers know how they’ve fared, and for companies to post openings that could be filled by those left jobless.
Mao Asian Bistro, 201 Columbine St., 303-377-5350 and Nine75, 975 Lincoln St., 303-
975-0975, Sept. 7. The restaurants will donate 20 percent of all food proceeds to the American Red Cross-Disaster Relief Fund.
Dine Out to Help Out, Oct. 5. The Colorado Restaurant Association will donate at least 10 percent of sales to the American Red Cross. The association says servers have even offered to donate their tips or a portion of their wages. Go to the culinary calendar at coloradorestaurant
.com for participating restaurants. Businesses that want to participate should e-mail info@coloradorestaurant.com or send a fax with the name of the restaurant, address phone number and contact person, or call the CRA at 303-830-2972 or 800-522-2972.
The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International started a relief fund and resource center at its website. For more information, go to hsmaieconnect.org.
The America’s Second Harvest Network of food banks and rescue organizations estimates it will need at least $2 million for its direct disaster relief-related expenses. As of Friday, $1.5 million was raised for 37 semi-truck loads that delivered 1.1 million pounds of food and grocery products for 859,000 meals. The nonprofit will use 100 percent of donations to support relief activities. To donate money, go to second harvest.org or call 800-344-8070, or contact Food Bank of the Rockies, 303-371-9250, foodbankrockies.org.
– Denver Post staff and wire reports
