Give a Meal this San Diego Restaurant Week

Published On: April 12th, 2021By Categories: Campaigns2.4 min read

San Diego Restaurant Week is back (April 11-18). We’ve partnered with the California Restaurant Association to provide an option for those looking to give back while dining out. Our Give a Meal initiative is for those who would like to support local restaurants and provide meals to those facing hunger. Both are much-needed actions as we continue to recover from the pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of people across San Diego County are facing hunger, many for the first time. 

Guests at participating restaurants have the option to add a $15 meal for a person facing hunger to their order. Once a restaurant has a minimum of five donated meals, they prepare the meals and alert Feeding San Diego. We’ll send a trained MealConnect volunteer driver to pick up the meals to get them to people in need. Collectively, almost 600 meals have already been donated by participating restaurants. Restaurants participating in both San Diego Restaurant Week and Give a Meal include Carte Blanche, Café Coyote, George‘s at the Cove, One Door North, Terra American Bistro, The Olive Café, and The Smoking Goat. 

Volunteer driver stands in front of his vehicle holding meals to deliver to people facing hunger

The idea for Give a Meal was developed in partnership with Girl Scout Troop #4978 as an idea for their Bronze Award. Lily Piehl, age 10, had an idea to do something to help drive business for restaurants while providing help to people facing hunger. She reached out to Feeding San Diego to further develop the idea. Her parents, Fred and Tammy Piehl, own two restaurants in North Park, The Smoking Goat and One Door North. They know first-hand the devasting impact of the on-and-off closures over the past year. 

“My parents own restaurants in San Diego, and I know that local restaurant owners and employees need help right now. Asking our community to order meals from restaurants, and giving them to people who are hungry seems like a great way for everyone to help each other,” said Lily Piehl. “I am proud that Feeding San Diego agrees, and am grateful for their hard work to make this idea happen. Our troop is very excited to help communicate this idea to local restaurants and community members.” 

Chef at Smoking Goat packs to-go boxes for Gift a Meal program.

Our work has always been closely intertwined with the local food community. Whether it’s working with celebrity chefs to spread the word about our mission or partnering with restaurants and caterers to rescue food that would otherwise go to waste. This new initiative helps to bolster sales at local restaurants and provides an easy way to give back to the local community. Feeding San Diego invites restaurants across San Diego County to join the almost 30 that have already signed up and committed to the cause.  

For more information or to register as a participating restaurant, click here.