Vancouver Restaurants Rally to Aid Japan

A select group of restaurants from across Vancouver are pledging a portion of their proceeds from their sales on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, to the Canadian Red Cross fund for the Japan Earthquake/Asia-Pacific Tsunami.

“People have seen the devastation that hit Japan on March 11 – and the aftermath that hundreds of thousands of people are living with every day since then,” said Plates Pledged for Japan Organizer Kaori Keenan. “I can’t be in Japan to help – so I wanted to find a way to bring together here in Vancouver to help people rebuild their lives.”

Keenan started organizing the event just over a week ago and so far 10 restaurants have signed up. They are pledging to donate everything from 25% of their food revenues from dinner to $2 per entre sold to all the proceeds from a special spring roll for the night.

Participating restaurants include Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, Blarney Stone, Fets Bar and Grill, O’Douls Restaurant & Bar, Rocky Mountain Flatbread, Sea Monstr Sushi, Section 3, Sushi Mart, Thai Away, and Wild Rice. The list – along with their specific pledges – is available online at Plates for Japan.

Keenan said any restaurants that want to be a part of Plates Pledged for Japan can still join. All they have to do is sign a pledge sheet and commit to donating a portion of their proceeds to the Canadian Red Cross. By donating the money directly, it will get to the Red Cross and the people of Japan that much quicker.

“It’s great that each restaurant has chosen its own way to be a part of the event,” Keenan added.  “These restaurants have stepped up to the plate to help the people of Japan, and I am so grateful.”

So if you are dining in a restaurant on Tuesday, April 12^th, maybe have a look at the list of restaurants supporting the Canadian Red Cross efforts to assist the people of Japan.