Many local eateries make charity a pillar of their business and donate to causes year-round. Delicious food and doing good? Count us in.
Story by Alexis Fischer
Illustration by Jacob Sepulveda
To no one’s surprise, Austin stepped up to raise donations and organize supplies when Hurricane Harvey struck. Many were affected by Harvey’s destruction and Austin welcomed those relocating with open arms. Shelters took in animals, concerts were held to benefit victims and restaurants shared their profits with relief efforts. The collective effort of Austin to support those in need was inspiring and showcased the community values that Austin is known for. Many local eateries make charity a pillar of their business and donate to causes year-round. Delicious food and doing good? Count us in. ORANGE Magazine has compiled a list of restaurants that will make the most impact with your money.
Melted Food Truck
Burro Cheese Kitchen who? Satisfy your childhood cravings with Melted, a food truck located in Austin. All ingredients are locally sourced and made with love. Created by Anna Hutton, who was raised in Texas, 100 percent of Melted’s profits go to the International Justice Mission. As a highschooler, Hutton was overwhelmed by the poverty faced by millions every day and wanted to do something tangible. With Melted, she is able to make continuous donations. Donations are also welcomed to help combat the startup costs of the truck. Check their website to see where they’ll be cruising for the day.
Moojo
Although not year-round, Moojo is still donating to Harvey relief through Nov. 1. Moojo is a local ice cream establishment on Guadalupe Street that uses all-natural and preservative-free ingredients. A second location recently opened over the summer at the Midway Food Park in Westlake. It’s perfect for celebrating a passed test or as a pick-me-up after failing an exam. Honestly, do you really need a reason to eat ice cream?
Mint chocolate chip ice cream between two warm cookies tastes even better when proceeds go to helping those in need. Moojo’s efforts to aid in Harvey relief hit close to home, as Harvey had a large impact on Moojo employees. “Our boss was stuck in Houston for a whole week. She was there. We know that many of our customers were also affected. When she made it back to Austin safely, the first thing she did was draw up the special board for Harvey relief,” says Moojo assistant manager Mary Furey. The store also hosts fundraisers and profit shares with a variety of campus organizations.
Lucky Lab
It’s obvious that Lucky Lab has a heart for animals. Previously parked in Space 24 Twenty, the “southern-ground” coffee company now has a brick-and-mortar store just a few feet from their original ground. Their menu houses specialty-crafted lattes, like their pear, lavender and sage lattes, as well as sweet lemonades to cool off with.
To celebrate their grand opening in September, they invited everyone out to cuddle with puppies. These dogs were from Lucky Lab Rescue and Hot Lab Rescue in Austin. Proceeds went to these shelters, and customers could pose with a furry friend to raise awareness about animal adoptions. As if Lucky Lab isn’t already the cutest coffee brand ever, half of employee tips are donated to local animal shelters. Follow @luckylabatx on Instagram and Twitter for the most precious pictures of dogs and coffee.
Home Slice Pizza
Home Slice is so good they opened a takeout location right next door to accommodate the masses of people that wanted Austin’s take on New York style pizza. People love Home Slice and Home Slice loves people. Every month, the pizzeria offers customers the chance to complete a whacky challenge, such as singing to your server, to have their meal’s proceeds be donated to a nonprofit. If the monthly challenge is too bold for your style, pay using a Go Local Austin card to have ten percent of your purchase be donated to a charity of your choice. Additionally, Home Slice always has donation boxes for customers to drop off goods to be donated to charitable organizations.
Hopdoddy Burger Bar
Do I even need to introduce Hopdoddy? A local favorite, Hopdoddy values its customers by only feeding them quality ingredients. They also show how much they value their customers with the Good Night, Good Cause burger. The classic burger is topped with angus beef, tillamook cheddar, barbecue sauce, onions, jalapenos and sassy sauce. For every burger sold, one dollar is donated to the Lone Star Paralysis Foundation, an organization that focuses on spinal cord injuries. In 2016 alone, it raised over $150,000.
Salvation Pizza
Salvation Pizza stands out as a brightly-painted restaurant located just off of 34th and Guadalupe streets. The pizzeria works directly with A Glimmer of Hope, a nonprofit that works to make education accessible to girls in Ethiopia by providing clean drinking water. To make a difference locally, Salvation Pizza supports Camp Glimmer, which is a camp for underprivileged youth to enjoy summer camp and revel in their childhood without worrying about expenses. This new-haven style pizza will definitely not make you feel guilty afterwards.
