Blog. The heartfelt reasons behind our supporters’ generosity
February 22, 2018 | Author Giuliana Vittiglio
Author: Giuliana Vittiglio
There are many reasons why someone might support Hospitality Action. Some individuals may want to get fit and will cycle many miles in our honour to do so whilst others may want to boost staff morale and indulge in a delicious cake sale.
Yet the overwhelming majority of our supporters raise funds for more heartfelt reasons. They may know someone we assisted or they may have been affected by one of the many challenges we guide people through every day.
Zan Kaufman, founder of London burger chain Bleecker, is fundraising for us for this very reason, in memory of her brother Mark who passed away last year. Zan says: “My brother Mark worked his entire life in hospitality. From being a room service runner to managing restaurants, it was what he liked to do and where he fitted in. He spent a summer at Bleecker too. Mark was charming and funny and had a talent for commanding the attention of a room. He loved his maître d’ role, where he was especially popular with the older ladies of Miami Beach.
Mark suffered from mental illness and addiction. Last April, he overdosed and passed away at 35 years of age. Hospitality accepted Mark when other fields wouldn’t. It allowed him to stay himself whist still struggling with this disease. For this I am grateful. Mark’s birthday is March 1st. On this day, Bleecker will donate all of its profits to Hospitality Action to help support and build awareness around mental health and addiction.”
We are indebted to Zan and everyone at Bleecker for supporting us in this way. March 1st won’t be an easy day for Zan and her team but this generous method of fundraising will ensure we can support many more just like Mark. If you’re in London on March 1st and close to Victoria, Spitalfields or Bloomberg please consider treating yourself to a meal at Bleecker in Mark’s honour.
Alternatively if you’d like to raise funds for a reason close to your own heart please give me a ring on: 020 3004 5504 or phone Liam at Bleecker to learn how to set up a similar scheme in your own place of work: 07751217612