Helping NY-area farms devastated by the hurricane

Dine Out Irene was a one-night fundraiser that took place on September 25, 2011, in more than 100 restaurants and food establishments in and around New York City. Participating establishments committed up to ten percent of their sales to Just Food and GrowNYC (the NYC Greenmarket), the two organizations that coordinated distribution of funds directly to local farms devastated by Hurricane Irene. 

Dine Out Irene raised $47,375. Participating restaurants included ‘ino, Maialino, Monkey Bar, Olives, Red Farm, Txikito, ‘wichcraft, and many others, including more than a dozen restaurants in the Hudson Valley and over 100 in New York City.

Since November, Just Food and GrowNYC have been in the process of distributing these funds directly to area farmers who were hard-hit by Hurricane Irene. Each farm received between $2,000 and $5,000 in assistance, based on need. To see a full list of recipients from Grow NYC, click here. For a full list of recipients from Just Food, click here.

Farmer recipients are using Dine Out Irene funds in a variety of ways, from storm clean up and infrastructure repairs such as rebuilding greenhouses and reinstalling fences, to early season investments including purchasing seeds and fertilizer. For some farms, the grants helped their families weather the impact of lost revenue that resulted from the storm by helping them to pay their mortgage, taxes and other bills, as well as basic living expenses including rent and food.

Thanks again to all of you who supported this effort! For more information, please contact:

Dine Out Irene: Gabriella Gershenson, dineoutirene@gmail.com
GrowNYC: Michael Hurwitz, mhurwitz@greenmarket.grownyc.org, 212-676-0661
Just Food: Amy Blankstein, amy@justfood.org, 212-645-9880 x243

Photo by Paul Wagtouicz

Many of you have asked, how much money have we raised with Dine Out Irene? So far, we’re still tallying the total, but as far as we’re concerned, the event has already been a success. The support of the diners, restaurateurs, and food community at large has been stupendous. We’re also hoping that the awareness raised by Dine Out Irene will encourage continued efforts to help local farmers get back on their feet. (For one such effort, check out Dine In Irene.)

If you wish to donate to the Dine Out Irene charities, click here, and check back in a bit to see how we did.

On September 25, 2011, participating New York City restaurants will give up to 10% of their sales to Just Food and GrowNYC to benefit NY area farmers hard hit by the hurricane. We hope you’ll make reservations, eat and drink heartily, and check back here for updates on new participants and details.

Restaurants: We’re still recruiting. The more, the merrier. If you’d like to participate in Dine Out Irene, please email dineoutirene@gmail.com.

Here’s a current list of participants. Please revisit the site regularly for updates. Scroll all the way down to see who’s participating outside of New York City.

These establishments are participating all day on Sunday, September 25, 2011, unless otherwise stated.

Aldea (participating Monday, September 26)
al di là
Annisa
Andaz 5th Avenue
Asia de Cuba
A Voce Columbus (brunch)
Balaboosta
Bar Basque
Bark Hot Dogs
The Bar Room at The Modern (dinner)
Benjamin Steakhouse
Betto (dinner)
Bistro de la Gare (dinner)
Blue Hill (a percentage of sales of the Farmers Feast tasting menu benefits Dine Out Irene)
Bobo
Brindle Room
The Brooklyn Kitchen*
Buttermilk Channel
Cafe Joul
China Grill
Colonie (dinner)
Corsino Cantina (dinner)
Dig Inn (all locations)
Ed’s Chowder House
Egg
Ember Room (brunch and lunch)
Fatty Crab (all NYC locations)
Fatty ‘Cue (all locations)
Fatty ‘Cue at the Battery*
Fatty Snack* (all locations)
Franny’s
Gente (dinner; participating Monday, September 26)
Gramercy Tavern (dinner)
The Green Table
HENRY’s (dinner)
Highpoint Bistro & Bar (brunch)
Hill Country (dinner)
The Hurricane Club (dinner)
ICE - Tomato Lover’s Cooking Class, 75% of tuition benefits Dine Out Irene*
ici
ilili
‘ino (dinner)
‘inoteca cucina (dinner)
‘inoteca liquori (dinner)
Jack the Horse Tavern
James Beard Foundation (brunch)
Jimmy’s No. 43
Kefi
La Gazzetta
La Palapa
LIC Market (brunch)
Locanda Vini e Olii
Macao Trading Co.
Maialino (dinner)
Marc Forgione (brunch)
The Meat Hook*
Mile End Delicatessen
Monkey Bar (participating Monday, September 26)
The National
Northern Spy Food Co.
Oceana (dinner)
Olives
Oaxaca Taqueria (all locations)
Osteria del Circo (dinner)
Palo Santo (brunch)
Park Avenue Autumn (dinner)
Picnic Market & Cafe
The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English (dinner)
RED (dinner)
Red Farm
Red Rooster (dinner)
Riverpark
Robicelli’s*
Rose Water (dinner)
Rucola (dinner)
Salumeria Rosi
SD26 (dinner)
SHO Shaun Hergatt (participating Monday, September 26)
Socarrat Paella Bar (all locations)
Spot Dessert Bar (brunch and lunch)
Suenos (dinner)
Taïm
Tanuki Tavern
Telepan (dinner)
Tipsy Parson (dinner)
Tocqueville (participating Monday, September 26)
The Trilby (brunch and lunch)
Tulsi
Txikito (dinner)
Union Square Cafe (dinner)
Untitled at the Whitney (dinner)
Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar (brunch and lunch)
Wallsé
The Waverly Inn
‘wichcraft (all NYC locations)
Wonder City Coffee & Donut Bar

Participants outside of New York City:
Bandwagon Brew Pub (Ithaca, New York)
Birdsall House (dinner; Peekskill, New York)
Blue Mountain Bistro To Go (Kingston, New York)
The Bistro at Red Newt Cellars (Hector, New York)
Cha Cha Hut BBQ (Andes, New York)
The Cup and Saucer Restaurant and Tea Room (brunch and lunch; Beacon, New York)
Meritage Restaurant (dinner; Scarsdale, New York)
The Piggery (Ithaca, New York)
Ramiro’s 954 (Mahopac, New York)
River City Grille (Irvington, New York)
Simply Red Bistro (Ovid, New York)
Stissing House (Pine Plains, New York)
Sweet Grass Grill (Tarrytown, New York)
Taste of Thai Express (Ithaca, New York)
Tavern Restaurant at Highlands Country Club (brunch and lunch; Garrison, New York)
Tomatillo (Dobbs Ferry, New York)
The Villa (dinner; Lagrangeville, New York)

*This establishment is not a restaurant, but a percentage of the day’s purchases will benefit Dine Out Irene.