Thank you to everyone who attended Shanghai’s 2nd Annual Chi Fan for Charity 2012. Four years ago, founder Michael Crain had an idea and convinced a few restaurants in Beijing to participate in this concept and used his network and friends to spread the word. From this, Chi Fan for Charity was born. Since the idea of Chi Fan for Charity was born in 2009, the event has grown from year to year gaining more and more momentum and kudos from the Beijing (and now Shanghai) community and an enormous amount of funds have been raised for various charities helping to make a difference in peoples’ lives. With Austen Morris Associates’ involvement in the Beijing event since 2010 as a sponsor, as well as hosting tables for two years in Beijing, in 2011 we brought the concept to Shanghai.
With the success of last year’s event and the support of 26 restaurants Austen Morris Associates helped to raise over 200,000 RMB for the three 2011 charities. This year, we have more than doubled the number of Shanghai’s top restaurants to be involved who share our desire to give back! There’s a 55 strong contingent of venues all taking part in Chi Fan for Charity 2012 and we would like to extend our sincerest thanks to them for coming together to provide you with an amazing gastronomical experience and all for a good cause.
Austen Morris Associates organized and heavily supported the event hosting eight of the 55 tables. Hosts included Managing Senior Partner James Colclough and Founding Senior Partner Greg Morris hosted a table at Osteria, Senior Partner Wade Dawson hosting at table at Pulau Ketam, Senior Partner Matthew Beale hosted a table at The MEET, Senior Partner Erwin Verscheuren hosted a table at Mr Willis, Partner Jon Holand hosted a table at M on the Bund, Senior Partner Leo Hon hosted at Sabitini, Client Services Manager Kelly Olver hosted a table at Urban Thai, and Client Services Manager Darren Cox hosted a table at Kebabs on the Grill. Austen Morris Associates support staff volunteered throughout the evening selling raffle tickets and running the silent auction.
Our three charity recipient organizations for this year were selected by Austen Morris Associates and included Heart to Heart Shanghai, Baoji Xinxing and Beacon of Love. Between them, the charities have been helping children in China for a combined total of 28 years. Collectively, their focus is to help children’s medical, physical and mental well being as well as providing support to the family which is equally as important.
We are delighted to be donating the 470,000 RMB raised such great causes and helping our charities for 2012; Heart to Heart, Beacon of Love and Baoji Xinxing Aid for Street Kids. make a difference in our community!
Heart to Heart Shanghai will be able to use this donation to provide 6 heart surgeries for children with congenital heart disease with extra funds going to one of their Library Projects in rural China. We are looking forward to meeting the Children who have benefited from each of the surgeries after the holidays! Heart to Heart is a Shanghai based Community Outreach Program founded in 2003 whose mission is to provide support and financial assistance to needy Chinese children who are in need of heart surgeries and to provide financial assistance to rural Chinese schools who require libraries and other essentials. You can learn more about Heart to Heart Shanghai at http://www.heart2heartshanghai.net.
Beacon of Love has been striving to raise awareness for Charity in China since 2002. Their focus is to provide heart surgeries for children suffering from congenital heart disease with the hope to improve the health of both the children and their family. On November 10th Beacon of Love held their 11th Annual Charity Carnival, with Austen Morris Associates as one of their sponsors and with Chi Fan for Charity donating a portion of our funds to their cause, they were able to raise 1.65 Million RMB. With this donation, Beacon of Love will be able to help finance heart surgeries to achieve their goal of improving as many lives of children as they can whilst also improving the lives of many families. You can learn more about Beacon of Love at http://www.beaconoflovecn.org/.
Baoji Xinxing Aid for Street Kids is a center where children find hope, care, safety, food, and education. The organisation will be able to use the donation made by Chi Fan for Charity 2012 to continue to run the center whose costs have risen to around 60,000 RMB per month due to additional Children entering the center, requiring their help and aid. Costs include everything from food, paying the electricity bills to the minimal wages of the local staff whom love and care for the Children. We are proud to be donating to a cause whose goal is to ensure that the street kids and disadvantaged youth in Baoji will regain their fundamental rights to survival, development and education through the provision of pyscho-support, medical aid, social-educational support, social investigation and family mediation from the Xinxing team, and help them reintegrate into main society. You can learn more about Baoji Xinxing at http://www.xinxingaid.org.cn.
Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate by enjoying great food, drinks and memories with old friends, new friends and supporters of Chi Fan for Charity by giving back to our community. Thank you for being a part of this year’s event– we’re are proud to say that we reached our fundraising goals.
Good Eats. Good Times. Good Causes.
