Residents in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area might consider taking tonight off from cooking and heading out to a local eatery — as a way of helping the needy. Kareen Hickman is community relations coordinator for the Nebraska Food Bank Network and says this is Dine Out Against Hunger Day.
Hickman says: "We have over 175 restaurants on board this year. Each of them have agreed to donate ten-percent of their day’s sales to the Food Bank. So, it’s a great way to go out to eat." The Food Bank provides supplies to over 360 agencies in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, serving 210-thousand people each year. Hickman says the funds raised will be put to good use.
Hickman says, "The Food Bank, in turn, will use that money to assist with our direct programs like the Food Bank for Kids Backpack Program, the Kids Cafe’s and our Senior Outreach Program." Hickman says the event has become one of the agency’s primary fundraisers and it’s come a long ways since it began five years ago.
Hickman says, "When we first started, we had 12 restaurants on board. This year we have 175 so this goes to show how restaurants have been excited about it year after year and want to be part of this great event." For a full list of all participating restaurants, visit " www.omahafoodbank.org " and click on the "Dine Out Against Hunger" link.