While giving back and helping out your community is a year-round endeavour, it often gets more attention as the temperatures drop and the holiday season approaches. Giving back not only helps to make a difference, but it also helps staff morale, improves customer perception, can increase traffic and brand exposure, and inspires others to take on charity projects.

To get involved in your community, find a cause that you are passionate about and create a plan to get your staff and customers to pitch in to help you reach your goal.

Hosting an event

Hosting a fundraiser is a great way to engage with your customers and get them to spend time in your restaurant. You could sell tickets where the proceeds go to charity, donate a portion of the night’s sales, feature a special “fundraising dish,” host raffles, or get creative with your own idea. Partnering up with another business can help grow your efforts and share the work. Choose a business in your neighbourhood whose mission aligns with yours and get to work on an exciting project together.

Holding a drive

If hosting an event seems daunting, consider asking your customers to help you collect something that your community needs. This could include nonperishables, kids’ toys, winter coats and mitts, and more. There are lots of ways to take up a collection and get your guests excited to help you on your mission.

If you want to make a difference and make use of extra inventory, support food rescue efforts by joining an app that helps deliver meals to people to provide immediate relief from your kitchen. This can help address both a need in your community and a need in your kitchen.

Take it off-site

Make it a team-building exercise by visiting a location that could use your help. Deliver and sort donations at a food bank, serve meals at a nearby shelter, volunteer at a senior’s centre or school, or get your team thinking of new ways to get involved. The more input you get from your team, the more passion and enthusiasm they’ll have.

Be sure to generate as much buzz and excitement as you can for your efforts through social media, your website, email marketing, and at your restaurant. Getting involved in your community helps out your neighbours, builds company culture, gets attention for your business, and motivates others to do more.