Wine and Dine for Haiti

By Kristine Hansen

Several wine bars and restaurants across the country have stepped up to the plate with vows to help financially support the reconstruction from Haiti’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake last week.

Haiti Dine Out Night is Sunday January 24 in New York City. Ten percent of sales at participating restaurants (so far, Ilili, Hill Country, Bar Breton and Aldea have signed up) will go toward charities assisting Haitians in their recovery. On Tuesday, Locksmith Wine Bar (Broadway and West 192nd St.) is hosting a fundraiser with half of the night’s revenue designated for Red Cross. A Haitian guitarist will provide musical entertainment. In addition, Knife + Fork Restaurant & Wine Bar in Manhattan’s East Village will donate 20 percent of the day’s sales this Wednesday.

Up in Boston, Jan. 25 at UpStairs on the Square is home to three fundraising opportunities in support of Haiti’s recovery. This includes Hope for Haiti, a three-course prix-fixe lunch ($30) between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Ten bucks from each lunch sold is donated to Partners in Health Earthquake Relief Fund. Later that evening, a minimum $25 donation gets you Haitian-inspired food served family style with proceeds going to Partners in Health. Dining at Beacon Hill Bistro this Tuesday or Wednesday means that 100 percent of proceeds at lunch will go to Partners in Health.

In Chicago this week (Monday through Saturday), some restaurants are offering diners the chance to donate $1 to their checks to Heartland Alliance (in support of Haiti relief efforts). Participating restaurants include Aja, Avec, Boka, the Bristol, Fritz Pastry, Frontera Grill (and Topolobampo), Green Grocer, Province and Volo Wine Bar. A complete list is at restaurantintelligenceagency.com/community. Also, Tapas Valencia says it will donate 100 percent of dining sales on Jan. 26 to the American Red Cross.

Plenty of West Coast wine bars are offering support too. Pourtal Wine Bar in Santa Monica will donate 25 percent of its tasting-sale proceeds on Tuesday after 7 p.m. to a local Red Cross chapter. And Bin 38 in San Francisco has a neat event on Wednesday after 4 p.m. Two bucks from every glass of wine sold will be donated to the What If? Fonudation, headed up by Berkeley resident Margaret Trost who has been working with Haiti for the last decade.

Want to make a quick and easy $10 donation to the American Red Cross? Text “Haiti” to 90999–the money will be deducted from your next cell phone bill.