Inauguration weekend is one of the busiest times of year for restaurants and bars. That’s why citizens are calling on restaurants and bars to close in protest of the election.
But instead of closing, several diners and taverns in Washington D.C. are offering a better solution: a portion of the money raised during inauguration weekend will be donated to charity. For many small businesses, this is the only feasible option since a complete shutdown simply isn’t affordable.
In lieu of shutting down, these restaurants and bars are participating in a campaign called All in Service. All in Service is a coalition of businesses that have pledged to donate a portion of the money earned during inauguration weekend to nonprofit organizations.
But the best part about it is that it’s a non-partisan campaign. It’s meant to bring people together for the greater good, regardless of their political beliefs.
“We know that tens of thousands of people are coming into the District for that weekend. There are going to be Trump supporters coming into town, and there are going to be protestors,” said Sarah Massey, a PR representative for All in Service. “What this can do is show everyone that Washington, D.C.’s service industry cares about our community.”
Some of the charities that will be donated to include:
- Ayuda: provides support services to immigrants
- Mary’s Center: provides health care, education, and social services to underserved communities
- Martha’s Table: provides food, education, and clothing to disadvantaged youth.
- Planned Parenthood: provides free and subsidized health care to low-income women.
- Thrive DC: provides support services to homeless people
It’s a double whammy for businesses: on one hand, they’re getting a lot of good publicity from this and on the other hand, they’re also doing a lot of good for the community. It goes to show that businesses can be both ethical and profitable.
To view a complete list of participating businesses, click here.