Local fundraising organization, The Industry Project, is bringing back their annual event, Hungry Games, to Kelowna later this year.
The Industry Project (T.I.P) works to connect local restaurants and restaurant workers with local charities across the Okanagan. Accumulated donations from years past have surpassed $30,000, and the collective is looking to continue the streak with the second annual Hungry Games, a non-lethal and friendly competition.
“It’s where we can all come together and do something good in the service industry,” said T.I.P’s Kaitlyn Dickie. “As students (working in the restaurant industry), it’s hard to find a way to give back when you don’t have a lot of time or money.”
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While the Hungry Games invites local restaurant workers for a relay-style tray race, the event serves as a connection for the Project’s main campaign of raising money for local charities through participant donations.
Participants commit to donating a portion of their daily sales to the main campaign, which will be later this year in November. Restaurant servers and bartenders will donate one per cent of their total day’s sales to charity — this year’s charity will be announced at the Hungry Games event in May.
Last year, 100 people signed up, and just under $10,000 was raised and donated a local wellness centre, The Foundry.
“The whole point was connect the service industry with philanthropy, but our goal is to grow and do the best we can,” said Dickie.
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The Hungry Games is limited to the Okanagan right now, but T.I.P is looking to eventually expand and include restaurants from Vancouver and Victoria.
The Industry Project boasts that it’s just a simple concept that makes a big impact in the community by giving an opportunity for restaurant workers to give back without too heavy of a time commitment.
Dickie said that A single percentage of their sales, which won’t take from their income, can go a long way.
The Hunger Games competition is May 14 will have fun games and prize giveaways that will connect participants together for the main fundraising campaign in November.
Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
More information can be found here.
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