Category: For a good cause

🐕‍🦺 AZ Lemonade Stand has teamed up with the LovePup Foundation this summer to release a limited-time flavor, Peach Lemonade. For every jar of Peach Lemonade sold, a portion of the proceeds will go directly to LovePup to help dogs find their forever homes. The

🥙 I’ve gotten lots of emails from readers asking when Cava is going to open on the southwest corner of Arizona and Ocotillo in south Chandler. The Washington, D.C.-based Mediterranean fast-casual chain plans to open its latest Valley location this Friday, but

An all-star lineup of Valley chefs – Adam Allison (right), Delilah Becerra, Jacob Cutino, Stephen Jones, Brent Kille, Jeff Kraus (left), Mat Meyer, and Dom Ruggiero – will prepare the second annual Nicole Learmont Cancer Benefit Brunch from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday

🍹 Today marks the 20th anniversary of Pat Tillman’s death, and Cider Corps in downtown Mesa is honoring his legacy with PawPaw Cider, the latest release in its Honor Series inspired by units serving in our armed forces. Cider Corps

🍹 Los Sombreros in Mesa will host its Spring Break Celebrity Bartending Event from 6-10 p.m. tonight to benefit the Kwamie Lassiter Foundation. Diners can enjoy margaritas and other cocktails made by former NFL and MLB players such as Eric Swann,

Adrianne Calvo, an award-winning Miami-based restaurateur, cookbook author, Emmy-nominated YouTube show host, and podcaster known for her cookbook “Maximum Flavor,” will be the featured chef for the fourth annual Swing Into Spring Social. The event, which will take place 6-10

🔪 Tracy Dempsey Originals in Tempe is hosting a culinary rummage sale March 8-9 to benefit Blue Watermelon Project, a group of Arizona chefs, restaurateurs, and community food advocates assisting schools in rethinking relationships with food. What you can donate

🍷 Peacock Wine & Book Bar, a wine bar that opened on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Baseline in Gilbert in 2019, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $150,000 to help it stay in business. ‘‘This is my

🎁 Mexican restaurant group Mesquite Fresh Street Mex is again partnering with The Foster Alliance (formerly Arizona Helping Hands) on a Toys for Tacos fundraiser. Bring a new, unwrapped toy, game, book, or sports equipment into any of Mesquite Fresh’s

🐕‍🦺 Today is National Nacho Day, but Gadzooks Enchiladas and Soup is celebrating all month with its third annual Nachopalooza fundraiser for HonorHealth Foundation’s K-9 Security Program. Throughout November, 25% of every nacho entrée sold will go directly to the

☕️🎨 Jarrod’s Coffee Tea & Gallery in downtown Mesa will hold a fundraiser Saturday in an attempt to save the business. Jarrod Martinez launched his Main Street gallery in 2012 and added a coffee shop in 2015. The venue regularly

🥣 Phoenix Empty Bowls, an annual fundraiser for local non-profit Waste Not, will be held 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday at the Arizona Center on the northeast corner of Third Street and Van Buren in downtown Phoenix. Colorful bowls created by members of

💙💛 October is National Down Syndrome Awareness month, and Sweet Republic has brought back its Blueberry Lemon Custard Pie ice cream at all three of its Valley shops. The artisan ice cream shop is donating 25% of pint sales of

🔪 Tempe bakery Tracy Dempsey Originals needs your unwanted kitchen gadgets for a Nov. 11 culinary rummage sale to benefit Blue Watermelon Project. Blue Watermelon Project is a group of chefs, restaurateurs, and community food advocates who work with students,

❤️ Six Valley chefs will compete in a Burger Battle Throwdown from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Handlebar Diner in southeast Mesa to raise money for a local event planner’s fight against cancer. Lauren Wyckoff, owner of Lauren Allen

🍕 In honor of Hunger Awareness Month, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is raising funds for No Kid Hungry, a Christian non-profit organization fighting to stop food waste and eliminate child hunger. Throughout September, diners at any of Grimaldi’s seven locations in the

🔥 Several Valley restaurants are helping to raise money this month for the victims of Maui’s wildfires: Streets of New York: Donating a portion of the sales from Hawaiian pizzas with Canadian bacon and pineapple, along with a $2,000 pledge.

👨‍🍳 An update on Romeo Taus, the owner and chef of Romeo’s Euro Cafe in downtown Gilbert. Taus underwent brain surgery Monday to remove two tumors (see previous post). What happened: According to friends and co-workers of Taus, doctors were

Romeo Taus – the owner and self-taught chef of Romeo’s Euro Cafe, an East Valley fixture for 32 years – is hospitalized in intensive care awaiting surgery at St Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix after doctors discovered two tumors in his

⚾️ Family-owned Babbo Italian Eatery is donating 100% of profits Thursday at all eight of its Valley restaurants – plus raffling off some rare baseball memorabilia – to help the Seena Magowitz Foundation fight pancreatic cancer. Why: Dubbed ‘‘Baseball for

Four Peaks Brewing in Tempe has kicked off its 13th annual Four Peaks for Teachers program, which includes: Teachers can sign up to receive a free school supply kit loaded with essential items like colorful dry erase markers, premium quality pens, pencils, and

In celebration of its 74th anniversary, Miracle Mile Deli, located at 16th Street and Campbell in central Phoenix, is donating a portion of the proceeds from all meals purchased Wednesday to Phoenix Theatre Company’s award-winning nonprofit program, Partners That Heal.

Central Phoenix ice cream parlor Churn has launched a new flavor – Rodeo Queen, which is now through June. The ice cream: Sweet cream ice cream with lemon curd, lemon cupcake, and strawberry syrup, and topped with a playful pink

🥚 Over Easy is teaming up with Shamrock Farms in April to raise funds (and eggs) for United Food Bank. Diners at any of the 11 Over Easy locations in Arizona will have the opportunity to donate $1 or more, and Over

🥙 Scottsdale-based Pita Jungle celebrates National Pita Day today with an all-day promotion to raise money for Arizona non-profit Waste Not, whose mission is creating sustainable food systems that help people and the planet flourish. For every pita sandwich sold today at its participating

💵 FnB in Old Town Scottsdale will host a fundraising evening of food and wine Saturday, April 15, for the Blue Watermelon Project, a local non-profit group of chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and community food advocates dedicated to expanding, encouraging, and engaging students in healthy eating.

🎓 Downtown Phoenix fine-dining restaurant Anhelo, whose owner/chef Ivan Jacobo is an Estrella Mountain Community College alum, is hosting a wine dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday to raise money for four culinary arts scholarships to the school. Tickets are $600 per

👨‍🍳 The inaugural Nicole Learmont ‘‘F*ck Cancer’’ benefit dinner – a six-course family-style meal created by Valley chefs Adam Allison, Mark Coakley, Brent Kille, Jeff Kraus, Mat Meyer, and Dom Ruggiero – will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at

Pedal Haus Brewery has brewed a special seasonal and will host a kickoff party from 6-9 p.m. Friday for the Rob Dollar Foundation bike ride 🚲 to raise road safety awareness for cyclists and drivers. The beer: R.A.D Pumpkin 🍺

The ninth annual Save Second Base Pub Crawl ⚾️⚾️, a fundraiser for two Valley women fighting breast cancer, takes place Friday and Saturday in downtown Chandler. Participating bars: San Tan Brewery, Murphy’s Law, Bourbon Jacks, The Perch, The Stillery, Quart Haus, Recreo, The

Phoenix Empty Bowls, an annual fundraiser for local non-profit Waste Not, will be held 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Friday at the Arizona Center on the northeast corner of Third Street and Van Buren in downtown Phoenix. What: Colorful bowls created by

AZ Women in Food, a group created last year to support woman-led local food businesses, is offering a Labor Day package of shelf-stable sweets, recipe kits, seasonings, snacks, and more from its members. Included: Gwen’s Granola from FnB Potato chips

Matty G’s Steakburgers is donating 25% of all sales today at its Gilbert and Mesa restaurants to longtime employee Samuel Muñoz, whose wife, Dirielle, is undergoing expensive medical treatments for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth).

Aioli Gourmet Burgers’ flagship location on the northwest corner of 32nd Street and Shea in Phoenix will unveil an outdoor mural created by Shadow Mountain High School students Monday, April 18. During the reveal party from 5 p.m. to close,

Craft 64, the wood-fired pizzeria and brew pub in Old Town Scottsdale and downtown Chandler, is promoting a GoFundMe campaign for its manager, Santos Rodriguez, whose 7-year-old daughter was killed and mother severely injured in a car accident.

Four Valley chefs who prevailed on the Food Network competition show “Chopped’’ are teaming up for a May 16 dinner to raise money for local cancer-related charities. Preparing the five-course Sunday night dinner at The Simple Farm in Scottsdale will

If you missed Thursday’s huge Bobby’s Block Party fundraiser at restaurants and bars in downtown Chandler and beyond, you have another opportunity to donate this weekend. South Tempe dive bar Casey’s Woodshed will host a Bulleitt Backyard BBQ to raise

Bobby’s Block Party, a fundraiser for the family of Bobby Kramer, from noon to 11:30 p.m. Thursday at businesses in downtown Chandler and throughout the Valley. Kramer, the 31-year-old beverage director for The Brickyard Downtown and The Hidden House was killed by a

Arizona Wilderness Brewing in Gilbert releases its seasonal March For Orange IPA, an annual fundraiser for the Arizona chapter of the national MS Society, on Thursday. The beer is brewed with brewed with oranges from Agritopia in Gilbert and Sinagua Malt

More heartbreaking news for the Valley’s food and beverage community: Kevin Lewis, sommelier and wine director at nationally acclaimed Kai at Wild Horse Pass Resort, has been diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma. Adenocarcinoma is a type of cancer that starts

A dozen restaurants and bars in downtown Chandler, as well as several others throughout the Valley, will participate in Bobby’s Block Party, a fundraiser for the family of Bobby Kramer, from noon to 11:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4. The 31-year-old

The Hidden House in downtown Chandler is the latest East Valley business to host a fundraiser for the family of Bobby Kramer. Kramer, beverage director at The Hidden House and The Brickyard Downtown, was killed Feb. 10 by a wrong-way

Not even the covid-19 panemic can cancel Bashas’ annual Fat Tuesday specials on pączki and Mardi Gras king cakes. More than 50 Bashas’ bakeries in Arizona will be selling pączki – Polish pastries similar to jelly doughnuts but richer-tasting – for

The Golden Pineapple in Tempe will hold a special edition of its weekly industry night with guest bartenders Brandon Casey and William Ludington donating all their tips tonight to the family of Bobby Kramer. Kramer (pictured), who was beverage director

Pedal Haus Brewery founders Julian Wright and Derek ‘‘Doc’’ Osborne kick off a week-long pizza competition today to benefit two Valley dog rescues. The pair will be making and selling their own specialty pizzas from 4-7 p.m. today at the

A GoFundMe page has been set up for a longtime employee at The Chuckbox who’s battling colon cancer and covid-19. The employee, identified only as Tony, has been working at the Tempe institution for more than 30 years. The grandfather

Culver’s kicks off its annual Concretes for a Cause campaign today. urchase any Concrete Mixer this week and the chain will donate $1 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Cancer kills more children than any other

Barro’s Pizza and Four Peaks Brewing have collaborated on a new beer, Angelo’s Ale, to honor the pizza chain’s late patriarch. Who was Angelo? Angelo Barro’s mother launched Barro’s Pizza in Chicago in 1961, and he brought the concept to

If you’re interested in the Valley’s food scene, you’re likely familiar with restaurateur and chef Adam Allison. Maybe you’ve eaten his incredible comfort food at his ’50s-era Handlebar Diner in southeast Mesa or from his Left Coast Burrito Co. food

Kudos to Venezia’s Pizzeria, which raised $5,000 for United Food Bank last week. The locally chain’s five Valley locations donated $1 from every pizza sold from Aug. 17-19. The $5,000 will provide 25,000 meals for families in need. “Food insecurity

Local chain Venezia’s Pizzeria is donating $1 from every pizza sold today, Tuesday, and Wednesday to United Food Bank, which provides meals to Arizonans in need. “We are incredibly grateful for the support we received during the last few months,

I’ve long said restaurants are the most generous businesses when it comes to charitable and community causes. This time of great uncertainty, which has many restaurants wondering about their own survival, hasn’t changed that. Sal’s Gilbert Pizza, concerned about children

Today is Eat Your Art Out, an annual fundraiser for free arts programs administered by the Chandler Center for the Arts. Ten restaurants will be donating 25% of their proceeds during designated hours. Serrano’s Mexican Restaurant in downtown Chandler also

Today is Fat Tuesday, which means you’re practically obligated to enjoy some delicious pączki, especially when indulging will help out Valley non-profit St. Vincent de Paul. Pączki (pronounced ‘‘poonch-kee’’), if you’re not aware, are Polish pastries, similar to jelly doughnuts

The Serrano family is celebrating 100 years as a family-owned business in Chandler this month with a deal to benefit the W. Steven Martin 911 Toy Drive. When you donate new teddy bears and/or children’s books (minimum $10 value) at

Sports bar The Local Chandler hosts the second annual Homes With Hope charity golf tournament ay 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass. Foursome sponsorships start at $400. Proceeds will benefit Child Crisis Arizona. Last

Ahwatukee coffeehouse The Buzzed Goat will host ‘‘Jave for Jordan,’’ a fundraiser for a local girl battling bone cancer, from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24. Thirteen-year-old Jordan Pearson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, which tends to occur in children and young

Several East Valley restaurants are raising money this week for a 3-year-old Chandler girl fighting cancer. Abby Deal was diagnosed with T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma last month and has been undergoing chemotherapy, but she has more treatments ahead. On Wednesday,

Barro’s Pizza holds its seventh annual Doran Barro Holiday Hunger Fight on Tuesday, Dec. 4. All 40 locations of the local chain will donate 100% of the entire day’s proceeds to St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance to battle hunger among

Barro’s Pizza holds its sixth annual Doran Barro Holiday Hunger Fight on Tuesday, Dec. 5. All of the day’s proceeds from the local chain’s 39 pizzerias will be donated to the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. Named for, and initiated

Flancer’s in Mesa will hold the restaurant’s 17th annual charity pizza-eating contest at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 9. The annual event is a fundraiser for Warfighter Sports, Sunshine Acres Children’s home, and Jewish Family & Children’s Services. Last year, the restaurant raised

Fourteen of Chandler’s most popular restaurants are participating in Eat Your Art Out, an annual fundraiser for the Chandler Center for the Arts, today. Dine at any of these places today, and the restaurant will donate a portion of your bill:

Chandler teacher Camala (Cam) Flitton was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in October. Bourbon Jacks is helping to raise money for her medical expenses and her leave from teaching as she undergoes treatment. To donate directly, click here.

From 5-7 p.m. today, Kneaders Bakery & Cafe will host its annual Evening With Santa, the only night of the year when diners can enjoy Kneaders’ famous Chunky Cinnamon French Toast for dinner. One of its most popular menu items, the

A special performance by Blaine Long, a Chandler singer who competed on NBC’s ‘‘The Voice’’ this season, will highlight a charity benefit from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday at Sauce Pizza & Wine in Gilbert. All proceeds from beverage sales and a raffle

Valley-based Barro’s Pizza holds its fifth annual benefit for the Doran Barro Holiday Hunger Fight today. All 37 of the pizzeria’s locations will donate 100 percent of today’s proceeds to the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance to battle hunger during the

Pita Jungle has kicked off its third annual Empty Bowls campaign, a two-week fundraiser for Waste Not, a local nonprofit that has been feeding the hungry in the Valley for more than 25 years. Through Dec. 15, you can buy handcrafted clay bowls

Through the end of October, Social Box Neighborhood Eatery is accepting donations for AZ Dog Adoptions, a Valley no-kill shelter. Bring in a donation and receive 10% off your bill. Besides dog food, items needed include new or gently used towels, blankets,

Gold is the color of pediatric cancer, and today is the start of National Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation is launching its first-ever Go Gold campaign to raise $1 million for the hospital’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

A bunch of Valley restaurants and other businesses are teaming up with Dignity Health Foundation East Valley to raise money for the less fortunate this month. The first fundraiser is 3-9 p.m. today at Majerle’s Sports Grill at Chandler Fashion Center.

A charity poker tournament, one of the more prominent events during Floridino’s Pizza & Pasta‘s month-long 20th-anniversary celebration, has been canceled. The Texas hold ’em tournament was scheduled to take place Saturday night with the proceeds going to Childhelp, a non-profit

One of their favorite summertime activities when Eddie Castillo and Mike Caliendo were kids was reading. Now the owners of AZ Food Crafters in Chandler are encouraging local kids by offering a free hand pie to anyone who completes their respective summer reading program.

AZ Food Crafters in Chandler is launching its 2016 Backpack & School Supply Drive on Friday. The Chandler hand pie shop will be collecting the following supplies through July 20: Backpacks Journals Pencils Notebooks Three-ring binders with paper Calculators Glue

Kudos to Spinelli’s Pizzeria in downtown Tempe: ‘‘With such diversity in the city of Phoenix, Spinelli’s Pizzeria deems themselves to be a safe place that accepts all people from all walks of life. On Wednesday, June 15th, Spinelli’s owner wishes to donate

Brooklyn V’s Pizza in Gilbert is hosting a fundraiser today for the Gilbert High orchestra. From 4-8 p.m., the neighborhood pizzeria will donate 20 percent of all sales (excluding alcohol) to the orchestra. Be sure to mention the GHS orchestra.

Firehouse Subs is the latest local restaurant to hold a fundraiser from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. today for Andrew Burkhart, an 8-year-old Gilbert boy with cerebral palsy. Earlier: Chick-fil-A in Gilbert raising funds for 8-year-old boy The participating Firehouse locations are

The contest is just one of three ways Flancer’s raises money for the Sunshine Acres Home, Jewish Family and Children’s Service (Max Flancer Fund), and WarFighter Sports. The first is through raffles, tickets for which go on sale today at the restaurant’s