TRAVERSE CITY — On Oct. 1 The Good Bowl restaurant in Traverse City made a donation benefitting affordable housing projects in the area.
From its $1 per bowl donation model for quarter three of the year, the restaurant will donate to three charities including local recipient Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing which was awarded $4,491.
The initiative also donated to national recipient Shriners Hospital for Children which was awarded $753 and global recipient Yoga Gives Back awarded $512.
The restaurant’s business model of donating $1 for every signature bowl aims to bring awareness to various nonprofits rooted in humanitarian and environmental efforts.
Guests are allowed to select from a local, national, or global charity to which their dollar goes each time they purchase a signature bowl.
“I would say the majority of our guests really connect with the local charities on the generally pick local. I think it means a lot because I think not only do they get to help donate because they purchase a bowl, but they get to learn about the charity,” said Soon Hagerty, founder and co-owner.
The quarterly selection process includes suggestions for charity recipients from restaurant guests/community with final voting by employees.
The Good Bowl’s Q4 charities will include local nonprofit More Than Four Foundation, national nonprofit Child Mind Institute and global charity Direct Relief.
To date, the restaurant has given more than $175,000 to charity since its’ opening in June of 2018.
“We are so pleased that even after six years there continues to be so much participation and excitement from our community and employees around our $1 per bowl program,” said Hagerty. “It’s so great to learn about all the charities our guests have suggested and be able to bring awareness to all the great work they do in our communities and beyond.”
The restaurant’s mission-driven concept is an integral part of its business model and community focus as well as its commitment to traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
For more information on The Good Bowl and the featured charities including past nonprofit recipients, click here.