Contact: Philippe Massoud
Email Philippe@ililinyc.com
Tel: 212 481-1214

Haiti Dine Out: 40 restaurants across America to donate up to 10% of sales towards earthquake relief efforts

New York, NY, Jan 18^th 2010 — A network of over 40 restaurants across New York City and America announced the Dine Out for Haiti call to action whereby they will donate up to 10% of all sales and are encouraging their staff to donate as well,  to Haitian relief efforts.  Restaurants closed Sunday are participating on Monday January 25^th.   Additionally W Hotels of  New York will be referring all their guests to the participating restaurants on the 24^th and 25^th.

Tired of sitting at home passively watching the horrific images coming from Haiti, this group of restaurateurs decided to step up to the plate and do their part for Haiti. They encourage others to follow suit and join the effort.

To see a list of participating restaurants to date, please go to the following websites which will be live at 4pm EST today:

www.dineout4haiti.org

www.dineoutforhaiti.org

All monies will be donated to the following three charities.  Restaurants can choose to donate equally among them all or to any combination of the three.

• Action Against Hunger has had a team in Haiti since 1985, and is ready to fly planeloads of emergency supplies from Paris to Port-au-Prince. Food is one necessity, but so is sanitation; in some Haitian towns, 70 percent of homes do not have plumbing. Donate here.

• Doctors Without Borders is also present in-country. One senior staff member reports, “The situation is chaotic. I visited five medical centers, including a major hospital, and most of them were not functioning.” Donate to support public health efforts here.

• Partners in Health is the NGO founded in Haiti in 1987 by Dr. Paul Farmer, the celebrated physician and anthropologist who focuses on international social justice. The group’s emergency response focuses on delivering medical supplies and staff. Louise Ivers, PIH’s clinical director in the country, sent the message, “Port-au-Prince is devastated, lot of deaths. SOS. ” Donate here.

For comments and quotes, please reach out to the restaurants directly as no individual, wished to be singled out for what is really a united effort.

Special Thanks To:

MEDIA: The New York Times, Time Out, Andrea Strong and Eater.  

Hospitality Groups: Mario Batali Group, Danny Meyer and Union Square Hospitality

 Group, Marc Glosserman, Hill Country and W HOTELS of New York.

Public Relations Companies: Becca PR, Bullfrog & Baum, The Hall Company and Delicious Life PR

Legal:  Carolyn Richmond, Fox Rothschild LLP.

Editors Notes

•  40 restaurants are on board so far. 
• Philippe Massoud of ilili called on restaurateurs and diners  to support the initiative on Jan 15^th