The time has come for the 2nd annual Oxford Restaurant Week, presented by Sysco. Beginning Sunday and extending through Saturday, the event this week gives Oxonians and students alike the opportunity to eat at participating local restaurants to help raise money for one of five charities. These charities include Good Food for Oxford Schools, Meals on Wheels, Love Packs, The Pantry and More Than a Meal.
“Oxford Restaurant Week gives restaurant owners a rare and unique opportunity to reach out to customers via highly publicized menus and discounts,” said Liz Barrett Foster, VisitOxford publisher. “The fact that the program is put together by Visit Oxford also opens the door to additional visitors coming into Oxford and bringing tourism dollars into the city. The icing on the cake is the fact that the entire event is tied into local charities, as Oxford locals love to support their neighbors in need.”
Each time you eat at one of the restaurants, you can go to oxfordmsrestaurantweek.com and vote for your favorite charity. The charity that raises the most money will win $5,000.
Though only one charity wins the money each year, More Than a Meal board president, David Howie, said these programs inspire “chatter around town” about the programs and can even bring in volunteers. Other charities agree that the benefits are not limited to monetary gains.
“The public is more informed of all the charities, and knowing this, they’ll contribute more to each one,” said Julian Tatum of The Pantry, Oxford’s local food pantry.
“This is also a great way to get the community to eat out in local restaurants during a slow time after the holidays,” said Torie Marion, VisitOxford community enhancement coordinator.
Establishments offer an assortment of unique discounts during Oxford Restaurant Week, such as purchasing any combo at Back Yard Burger for $1 and getting 10 percent off of purchases at Zaxby’s and Oby’s. High Point Coffee will be taking 15 percent off all beverages at both of their locations, and Cups of Oxford will be discounting 15 percent as well.
Each of the five charities is locally run in the Oxford community. The Pantry provides nonperishable foodstuffs for local people in need. Good Food for Oxford Schools is aiming to help provide local farm produce in cafeterias in the Oxford school district.
The charity also educates students and their families on the importance of nutritious meals. GFOS provides classroom lessons to elementary students, food themed clubs for middle and high school students and cooking classes for families.
Meals on Wheels is the largest and oldest senior nutrition organization in America and supports over 5,000 senior programs all over the country. This charity delivers meals to the homes of senior citizens.
Lovepacks is a charity that was originally inspired by a teacher who noticed that one of her students was in need of meals after school. The packs of kid friendly and nonperishable food are discreetly placed into the back packs of students on Fridays. According to Lovepacks’ website, 160 Lovepacks are served once a week at a total of nine local schools which include Bramlett, Della Davidson, Oxford, Lafayette Lower and Upper Elementary, Oxford Middle, Oxford High, Scott Center and Learning Center.
More Than a Meal serves meals every Tuesday of the school year to children, women and men in Oxford at 5 p.m. This charity also provides school tutoring to children and adults as well as toiletries that are essential for health. Speakers and other organizations also join each week.
