Courtesy of Leah Harrigan.
Many places are still reeling from the effects of recent hurricanes, and Mount Laurel restaurants are doing something to help. Beginning on Oct. 9, select restaurants will be donating portions of their daily income to charity.
The idea was proposed by the owners and managers at La Paz.
“It’s just so tragic all the way around,” said Leah Harrigan with La Paz. She said that in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, many local residents have been impacted by the hurricane, and they wanted to do something to help. “There’s so much damage in so many places, and so many lives have been affected,” Harrigan said.
From Oct. 9-14, the La Paz in Mount Laurel will be donating 10 percent of their daily sales, as well as 50 percent of their sales on Oct. 15. Area 41 also will be donating 10 percent of sales on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11.
When Harrigan approached other restaurants with the idea she said it was well received.
“The only reason anybody said no was because they were doing their own relief,” she said. “It looks like everybody is already giving in one way or another.”
To gain traction, the fundraiser has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce to sell t-shirts for the effort. Harrigan said the Mount Laurel t-shirts will have the chamber logo and "It takes a village" and "Hurricane Relief" printed on them and are planned to be for sale at participating locations.
Because of La Paz's connection to Crestline, additional restaurants in Mountain Brook will be participating as well.
The Mountain Brook fundraising schedule is as follows:
- Mountain Brook Creamery: 50 percent of sales on Monday, Oct. 9
- Newk's Eatery: 10 percent of dinner sales on Tuesday, Oct. 10
- Mafiaoza’s: 50 percent of sales on Thursday, Oct. 12
- Taco Mama: 10 percent of sales Oct. 9-11
- Otey's Tavern: 10 percent of sales Oct. 9-11
- La Paz: 10 percent of sales Oct. 9-14, 50 percent of sales on Sunday, Oct. 15
Harrigan is hoping that by working together, they will raise $15,000 to give to a charity.
“I would really like to help as much as possible,” she said. “I hope that it makes the villages more aware that we’re on the same team.”
Although they have not decided on a charity as of Oct. 5, Harrigan said they are searching for something that will give 100 percent of the funds raised directly to affected areas.
“We are a strong community that bands together for everything and we definitely need to band together for this,” she said. “It takes a village to make it one big thing.”
Editor's note: This article was updated on Oct. 5 at 1:20 p.m. to include the involvement of Taco Mama and Otey's Tavern in the fundraiser.