Starting next month, on Thursday's all through October, the St. Joseph School District Foundation is once again pitting the cities top tenderloins against each other.
The Tenderloin Challenge will bring together several area restaurants to raise money benefitting School Lunch Debt Relief. The effort initially spun off from a generous $7,000 donation by the Central High School Class of 1976 and has continued to grow each year.
Director of the SJSD Foundation Julie Cobb says during the Tenderloin Challenge there's excitement about supporting School Lunch Debt Relief
"And our community, we're passionate, if there's one thing we are passionate about, we love to support the kids," Cobb says on the KFEQmunnity show. "And this is just one of the most fun ways I think you can get behind it is going out to eat."
Last year, the top three tenderloin sellers during the challenge were Adams Bar and Grill, Jakes Steakhouse, and Pops Place. During the challenge, each tenderloin sold on Thursdays in October, $1 from your meal goes to help eliminate school lunch debt for kids in the St. Joseph School District.
Cobb says each year through October, the event raises about 5,000 to 10,000 dollars to support school lunch debt relief
"Last year I think we were right at $6,500, so we would love to beat that," Cobb explains. "And a lot of restaurants round up when it comes to tally, or they'll match what they sold in tenderloins, we have a very generous community, and we have some alumni that live in faraway places that will just make a gift to school lunch debt relief in October, there's a lot of ways that $6,500 comes in."
Cobb says the hope this year is to raise $10,000 during October. Currently there are 11 participating restaurants, but Cobb says there are at least four more that still could be involved. In the past 15 restaurants have participated. Cobb also says if anyone would like to sign up their restaurant, they can reach out to the SJSD Foundation to join the cause.
Current restaurants participating are:
- D&G Pub and Grub
- Pops Place
- The Fredrick Inn
- The First Ward House
- Jakes Steakhouse
- Lisa's Roadside Diner
- Betty's Cafe
- The Hi Ho Bar and Grill
- RC's Lunch Car
- Adam's Bar and Grill
- B&B Runway Cafe
You can find a complete list of participating restaurants on the St. Joseph School District Foundation Facebook page.
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