01/01/2012 - Opting Out of Dine Out? Try FeastVan

The Dine Out Vancouver event is fast-approaching, offering up great savings on set menus at participating Vancouver restaurants for a limited time. Maybe you're choosing to avoid the non-regular crowds, your favourite restaurants aren't participating or you just want to try something new; in any case, we've found your alternative:

FeastVan

From January 20 to February 5, 2012, several neighbourhood-conscious East Vancouver restaurants are banding together to donate $1 from all prix fixe dinners to a grassroots food program at inner city elementary schools. The Vancouver Inner City Back Pack Food Program is intended to provide nutritious, kid-appropriate meals and snacks for school children and their siblings who are living with food insecurity.

As well, a percentage of proceeds from every keg of R&B Brewing East Side Bitter sold at participating restaurants will go toward the cause.

FeastVan runs from Jan 20 - Feb 05, 2012 at participating restaurants (last updated January 21, 2012):

Alpen Club
Au Petit Chavignol
Cafeteria
Campagnolo Roma
El Barrio
Founders Lounge (at the Cultch)
Fray
les amis du FROMAGE
Les Faux Bourgeois
The Red Wagon
Two Chef's and a Table
The Waldorf
R&B Brewing Co. (beer)

"Children who are hungry or undernourished are more likely to become sick, miss school, exhibit behavior problems, and fall behind in class. By offering a weekend food program for children, we will be able to provide many benefits including: increased ability to participate in recreation, close the gap of food insecurity over the weekend, help improve attention span and behavior during the week in school, mentoring interpersonal and communication skills to the children who received the backpacks, providing leadership and pre-employment training to youth volunteers." ~ Vancouver Inner City Back Pack Food Program

The program will also serve to educate parents and families about healthy food choices and hopefully encourage vendors on Vancouver's inner city neighbourhoods to become involved.

FeastVan is sponsored by Scout Magazine.