Last month I was eating lunch at our local Brixx wood fired pizza restaurant when I noticed an offer by GiveBuddy.com that the restaurant would send a check for 10% of my receipt to any organization I chose.

It seemed like an interesting offer, so I got online to see how it works. It is a new idea and there are only a few restaurants so far. Locally there are:

1. Brixx in Charlottesville, VA
2. Blue Ridge Cafe in Ruckersville, VA

But there is also a link if you want your favorite local restaurant to join the program.

What impressed me more is the number of local charities in the system. You have to request a restaurant participating, but you can add any charity you want to give to. Just a few of the charities in the system included:

• The Center for Christian Study
• Charlottesville Symphony Society
• First Baptist
• The Bridge Ministry Inc.
• University of Virginia Health Foundation
• University of Virginia Medical School Foundation
• Charlottesville Area Community Foundation
• St. Thomas Aquinas Church
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church
• The Covenant School
• Boy Scouts of America
• Jefferson Area Board for the Aging
• Church of the Incarnation
• PACEM
• Alzheimer’s Association
• The March of Dimes
• ASPCA
• The Oratorio Society of Virginia

I think this is a nice offer by the participating restaurants, especially our local Brixx. It makes a great date night. We recommend splitting the Bruschetta ($5.95) for starters. Then ask to split a Caesar Salad ($5.95). They bring each half salad in its own plate and a half salad is plenty for each of us. Then split a Rustica Pizza ($9.95) for a total bill of only $21.85. To top it all off you can donate $2.18 to the charity of your choice.

So here’s what I’d like you to do:

1. POST A LINK TO THIS ARTICLE on your facebook page, or on the website or facebook page of your favorite charity. Let them know that they are missing out on 10% of all their donors’ frivolous eating out costs.
2. COMMENT HERE ON THIS POST if you’ve encouraged a favorite restaurant to participate in Givebuddy.com
3. COMMENT HERE ON WHAT CHARITY you’ve added to the system and donated 10% of a receipt to.

Dine. Give. Repeat.