Houston restaurants cook up creative ways to give back to needy groups

Even in times of crisis, Houston restaurants are finding ways to give back. Whether it’s helping to raise money for a local non-profit or feeding displaced restaurant industry workers, these initiatives allows diners to eat well and do some good.

Non-profit fundraisers

Michael’s Cookie Jar
Both locations of the cookie bakery are raising money for Kids’ Meals with special emoji cookie kits. Available for $19.95, the kits contain eight “blank emoji” cookies (shortbread, iced in yellow) plus three piping colors and three packets of sprinkles. Michael’s will donate $10 to the non-profit for each kit sold and is holding a social media contest for the most creative cookies.

Click Virtual Food Hall
Chef Gabriel Medina’s locally owned, delivery-only restaurant has partnered with Kid’s Meals on a new initiative. For every order of $30 or more received by its app, Click will donate one meal to the local non-profit. The option include everything from pizza and sandwiches to 7,000 Islands, a Filipino concept that pays homage to Medina’s heritage.

Bosscat Kitchen & Libations/BCK
The Galleria-area restaurant and whiskey bar and its sister concept in The Heights have partnered with local restaurant contractor Construction Concepts on an initiative to support B.I.G. Love Cancer Care, a local non-profit that provides meals to family members and staff at both MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital and Texas Children’s Hospitals three campuses in Houston, Katy, and The Woodlands. For every order placed at either restaurant (no minimum amount), BCK Management and Construction Concepts will donate one meal to B.I.G. Love.

Support for restaurant workers

MAD
River Oaks District’s high energy Spanish restaurant has closed to the public, but executive chef Luis Roger still wants to serve restaurant workers who’ve lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. From 5-7 pm every Monday through Friday, Roger will prepare 200 meals of MAD’s signature paella. Diners can pull up and receive their food curbside to follow protocols related to social distancing.

Houston Shift Meal
Private chef Alvin Schultz launched this project to feed unemployed restaurant workers. Beginning this Saturday, March 21, Schultz will prepare 50 meals — this week’s menu consists of grilled chicken, rice, and spinach and mushroom green curry — that will be distributed at the weekly Urban Harvest Farmers Market. The program could expand to more meals and more days as the chef secures sponsors. Follow it on Facebook for updates.

Berg Hospitality
The successful restaurant group is raising money to support its 400-plus hourly workers who have been affected by restaurants being ordered to close their dining rooms. Beginning at noon on both Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, it will host a pop-up barbecue in the parking lot of B&B Butchers to serves dishes such as Italian-style smoked ribs from B.B Italia, smoked prime rib from B&B Butchers, and smoked turkey legs from B.B. Lemon. All funds will be donated to a GoFundMe the company has set up for its workers.

Killen’s
Instead of its regular fried chicken and barbecue pop-ups, Ronnie Killen’s eagerly anticipated comfort food restaurant will be giving away free barbecue sandwiches and chips to restaurant workers. Please bring a paycheck stub as proof of recent employment. 11 am until sold out.

The Tasting Room
LASCO Enterprises and Dave Berry of MyECO Planet have teamed up to provide a family-style meal to unemployed restaurant workers. Every Tuesday beginning March 24, the restaurant will give away lasagna on a first-come-first-served basis from 5-7 pm or until sold out.