FUNDRAISING IDEA
“Dine Out For DM”: Restaurant Benefit Nights
Fundraising nights at local or national chain restaurants are a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of
myotonic dystrophy in your community and fundraise on behalf of the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation. Your
family’s favorite restaurants will do this, and surprisingly, it’s not hard to pull together.
Many restaurants offer what’s called a benefit night, where 10-20% of the nights receipts go to a designated
501(c)3 charity, like the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation. Some restaurants will designate a particular time
frame, like 5-8 PM, where all receipts count toward the donation, while others will require patrons to provide
a flyer in order for a receipt to be counted. In some cases, the restaurant will print flyers for you, and may
share in the responsibilities of publicizing the event. You can also use the easy-to-customize template
attached here; we may even be able to help you with the printing costs. Either way, you should plan to
spend time in the weeks before the event spreading the word by passing out flyers where you work, at your
children’s school, at church, to community bulletin boards, newspapers and newsletters, and through social
media and emails to friends and family.
Benefit nights are great because:
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Everyone has to eat!
It’s a great way to raise DM awareness in your community and socialize with friends
It is simple to set up a benefit night. Aside from promoting the event, the restaurant does much
of the work!
The restaurant gives a generous portion of the receipts directly to MDF.
Benefit nights help the restaurants too, by attracting new customers, filling seats on slower nights (like midweek) and allowing them to project a positive image in your community.
There are just a few steps to holding your own “Dine Out for DM” night at your favorite restaurant:
1. Contact the local manager of the restaurant where you’d like to hold your event 3-4 weeks
ahead of your targeted date. Use the sample letter attached to explain who you are, what you
would like to do, and the beneficiary of the night’s events.
2. Let MDF staff know as soon as your night is scheduled. Staff can provide information,
including proof of our 501(c)3 status, our Federal Tax ID number and other details that the
restaurant may require.
3. Print your flyers (you can use the sample we provided) and start handing them out, posting
them around town, emailing them to friends and posting news of your event to social media,
and any other methods you have at your disposal! To let even more people know about
your event, fill in your details and send the attached press release to your local paper or
newsletter. Be sure you send it at least two-three weeks prior to you event.
4. The night of your event, arrive early and plan to stay through the time that has been allotted
to you. Welcome and thank each person who has made the time to attend your event.
5. Follow-up with MDF staff after your event. Staff will let you know when the donations have
been received.
MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOUNDATION | FUNDRAISER’S GUIDE
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Sample Letter to Restaurant Manager
[Today’s Date]
Manager’s Name
Restaurant Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Dear [Manager’s Name]
The (your family’s name) family would like to hold a “Dine Out For DM” event
at your restaurant to benefit the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF) during
Rare Disease Month 2013. On this night, we will invite friends and family
members to dine at [enter restaurant name here] to raise awareness in our
community of myotonic dystrophy (DM), the most common form of adult onset
muscular dystrophy, a disorder [I/our family] [live/s] with every day. The night will
benefit MDF, a non-profit organization founded by families living with myotonic
dystrophy (DM) in 2007. Through community support, advocacy, and research,
MDF is committed to enhancing the quality of life of people living with myotonic
dystrophy, and maximizing efforts focused on treatments and a cure for DM.
We ask that on the night of [enter dates/proposed dates] [enter restaurant name
here] donate a percentage of total receipts directly to MDF, which was organized
as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code in
March 2007 and has a Federal Tax ID 20-5014628.
Myotonic dystrophy is a progressive, genetic disorder that affects many parts of
the body. It can cause serious problems including muscle wasting, cardiovascular
and gastrointestinal complications, and cognitive and personality disorders. And
while there is currently no cure for myotonic dystrophy, there is a lot that can
be done to manage the effects of this disorder and help further the search for
treatments and a cure. By hosting this event, you will help support MDF’s efforts
to support [me/my family] and the tens of thousands of others on this same path.
We expect [estimated number] family, friends, and local community members
will join us for the evening at your restaurant. Will you support our efforts to help
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families living with DM and find treatments for myotonic dystrophy?
I eagerly await your response. You can reach me at [your phone number] and [your
email address]. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[Fundraiser’s Name]
[Fundraiser’s Email and Phone]
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MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOUNDATION | FUNDRAISER’S GUIDE
Sample Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: [your name, phone and email address]
“Dine Out for DM on Rare Disease Day” - Local Family Raises Awareness for
Rare Diseases and Funds for Myotonic Dystrophy
[Your Town, Your State] February 28, 2013 is Rare Disease Day, an international
advocacy day that brings widespread recognition of rare diseases as a global
health challenge. In the U.S., any disease affecting fewer than 200,000 people is
considered rare. There are nearly 7,000 rare diseases affecting nearly 30 million
Americans. In other words, almost one in ten Americans suffers from a rare
disease.
The [your name] family is living with a rare disease call myotonic dystrophy.
Myotonic dystrophy, (or dystrophia myotonica, DM) is a multi-systemic inherited
disease that affects approximately 1 in 3,000 people or 100,000 individuals in the
US alone, according to some DM researchers. The effects of the disorder can be
felt at birth (congenital DM), in childhood or as an adult. DM is the most common
form of adult onset muscular dystrophy.
Families living with DM find education, support and community through the
Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF), a non-profit organization dedicated to
enhancing the lives of people living with the disorder and to maximizing efforts
focused on treatments and a cure for DM. As an active member of MDF, the [your
name] family is hosting a “Dine Out For DM” fundraising event at [restaurant
name] on [event date] from [event time]. The proceeds benefit MDF and will
help to raise awareness of myotonic dystrophy. [Restaurant name] will donate a
portion of the nights receipts to MDF on behalf of the [your name] family.
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For more information about Rare Disease Day, visit www.rarediseaseday.org. For
more information about myotonic dystrophy, visit www.myotonic.org.
About Myotonic Dystrophy
Myotonic dystrophy (or dystrophia myotonica, DM) is a multi-systemic inherited
disease that affects at least 1 in 3,000 people or 100,000 individuals in the US
alone, according to some DM researchers. Although often viewed as a muscle
disease, individuals living with DM may have skeletal muscle problems, heart
function abnormalities, breathing difficulties, cataracts, issues with speech and
swallowing (dysarthria and dysphagia), cognitive impairment, excessive daytime
sleepiness, or diabetic symptoms. Myotonic dystrophy is one of the most variable
and complicated disorders known. It can affect a person from birth through
adulthood.
About the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation
The Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF) is a non-profit organization founded
in 2007 by families living with myotonic dystrophy (DM). MDF is committed
to enhancing the quality of life of people living with myotonic dystrophy, and
maximizing efforts focused on treatments and a cure for DM through community
support, education, advocacy, and research.
Based in Menlo Park, California, MDF partners with, and complements the
work of, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDCP), and other governmental, academic, and philanthropic
agencies.
More information about myotonic dystrophy and MDF can be found at
www.myotonic.org.
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MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY FOUNDATION | FUNDRAISER’S GUIDE
DINE OUT FOR DM
Join us as we Dine Out for DM, raising
awareness of myotonic dystrophy and
raising funds for the Myotonic Dystrophy
Foundation. You get a night out for dinner
with family and friends, and a portion
of the nights sales will be donated to
the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation.
Insert name of restaurant, date and time of event, and address here.]
Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation is non-profit organization committed to enhancing the quality
of life of people living with myotonic dystrophy, the most common form of muscular dystrophy,
through community support, education, advocacy, and research and maximizing efforts focused
on treatments and a cure for myotonic dystrophy.”
For more information about myotonic dystrophy and the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation,
visit www.myotonic.org, send an email to [email protected] or call us at 86-myotonic.