May at NMRA was all about how restaurants give back.

Check out how these 10 New Mexico restaurants give back to support their communities and beyond.

1.  Yanni’s Mediterranean Bar & Grill

After Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas, several New Mexico restaurants jumped into action by organizing fund raisers. Yanni’s Mediterranean Bar & Grill donated an entire day’s revenue to the Red Cross Houston relief effort.

2.  Dion’s

Albuquerque pizza chain Dion’s is committed to supporting youth development and opportunities throughout the New Mexico community.

In early May of this year, Dion’s awarded two $2,500 scholarships to undergrads at the University of New Mexico. The program considered 50 Dion’s employees currently enrolled in college. In the 2017 fiscal year, Dion’s has donated $170,000 in the form of food, gift cards, grants and volunteers.

3.  Mesilla, NM Restaurants Team Up

Several businesses in Mesilla are collaborating to bring the ultimate experience of Mesilla to the public. They are working together to boost tourism and together several participating Old Mesilla restaurants and wineries have teamed up and created a program called “Experience Mesilla“.  Experience Mesilla offers customers VIP service, discounts and other unique offers in hopes to bring more attention to this fabulous, historic town.

4.  Papa John’s

New Mexico Papa John’s locations also participated in Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. The restaurant chain donated $1 from every pizza over the course of one day. Funds also went to the Red Cross.

5.  Frontier Restaurant and Golden Pride

New Mexico staples Frontier Restaurant and Golden Pride, pride themselves on helping students succeed in higher education by contributing to education with numerous, generous scholarships throughout the year.

6.  Domino’s

Domino’s Pizza in Portales, NM took it upon themselves to raise over $1,500 for a local veteran recently diagnosed with stage-four cancer. The funds included all profits from three days of sales at three Domino’s locations.

7.  M’tucci’s Italian Restaurant

M’tucci’s, along with the Rio Rancho Police Department, hosted a fundraiser for the Rio Rancho Rockets Special Olympics team by allowing officers to ask for tips as they served patrons’ tables on the afternoon of April 22nd.  They raised over $2,700 on one Sunday!

8.  Pizza 9

Pizza 9 stores in Albuquerque host fundraisers and donate food for many worthy causes. They sponsor scholarships to multiple college students to assist in their expenses, and help younger students by partnering with local media for clothing drives supplying winter coats to needy children.

9.  County Line of Albuquerque

County Line of Albuquerque donates thousands of dollars in support and thousands of pounds of food through profit of their own and fundraisers like the Free Summer Music Series to a one-of-a-kind program – Meals on Wheels Albuquerque, who deliver 141,000 meals each year with the generous support like County Line.

10.  St. Martin’s HopeWorks

St. Martin’s offers several programs to assist people who are experiencing homelessness by providing resources, opportunities, and HOPE. One of their programs is the Hope Cafe which is an employment training site where they offer foodservice training in a café environment which ranges from cash handling, basic food prep, following sanitation guidelines, and customer service skills.  In addition, they also assist clients in resume writing, job searches, mock interviews and providing them with interview clothes if needed.

At the New Mexico Restaurant Association, we take pride in our local community. That’s why we believe it’s important to shine a light on the local businesses doing their part. Supporting the community is an important aspect of running a successful restaurant in New Mexico.

Join the New Mexico Restaurant Association Today

We represent the entire foodservice industry in New Mexico. At NMRA, our mission is to empower the food and beverage industry by uniting around common values.

Members enjoy substantial group discounts, access to education, and powerful political action. If you’re a restaurant owner in New Mexico, join the NMRA today or contact us to learn more about member benefits.