A growing list of more than 125 New York City restaurants across five boroughs are partnering with the Bob Woodruff Foundation to donate portions of their receipts — $1 per patron — on Nov. 5 to support wounded post-9/11 veterans.
The "Dine Out for Heroes" night, say organizers, is modeled on the "Stand Up for Heroes" event that has been held annually for the past eight years at the city's Madison Square Garden. That collaboration with the BWF and New York Comedy Festival has raised more than $21 million for service members and their families.
"We’ve always been so proud of 'Stand Up for Heroes,' and I am looking forward to the inaugural year of 'Dine Out for Heroes," founder and veteran broadcast journalist Bob Woodruff, who was critically injured while reporting from Iraq, said of the his latest charitable venture.
"We have seen what can happen when a movement of generosity inspires thousands more to act, and we know the New York community will come together to salute our injured service members and their families yet again," Woodruff added.
Wounded Marine Matt Soldano is one veteran who has benefited from the foundation's outreach. He is appreciative of the support it gave in helping him to launch a small business.
"I’m grateful to the Bob Woodruff Foundation for the help they gave me," Soldano said at an kickoff event Tuesday held at NYC’s Grand Central Station. "After returning from Afghanistan, I went through a couple dead end jobs. Along the way, I acquired a chicken, and then another. More came along, and suddenly I was a farmer. The Bob Woodruff Foundation helped me through the Farmer Veteran Coalition and I couldn’t be more grateful."
Added The Glazier Group restaurateur Penny Glazer, who helped to spearhead the dining-out night: "'Dine Out for Heroes' offers the New York restaurant community a way to say thank you to the brave service men and women who have given us so much."
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