COMMON MAN FAMILY OF RESTAURANTS LAUNCHES STATEWIDE “COMMON EFFORT FOR HAITI” FUNDRAISING EVENT
01-14-2010
ASHLAND, N.H. – The Common Man family of restaurants is calling upon residents of New Hampshire to help with disaster relief efforts in earthquake-stricken areas of Haiti by attending a “Common Effort for Haiti” event at 15 of its restaurant locations throughout the state.
On Sunday, January 17, the Common Man will donate 50 percent of each guest’s food bill, to be split by the American Red Cross and the non-profit organization Partners in Development, for their ongoing disaster relief efforts in Haiti. Guests who visit during any meal period over the course of the day will participate in the event simply by ordering a meal. Raffle tickets will also be sold at each restaurant for prizes from its Common Man Inns, Spa, Company Store and Flying Monkey Movie House, to raise additional funds.
The American Red Cross is sending money, supplies and staff to Haiti to support relief efforts in the wake of the earthquake, which caused catastrophic damage and loss of life. The American Red Cross has pledged $10 million in relief from its International Response Fund to support relief operations and has deployed disaster management specialists to coordinate relief efforts.
Partners in Development (PID) with an office in Ipswich, MA, has been serving the extreme poor in Haiti since 1990. Through child sponsorships, small business loans, housing opportunities and medical care, it aims to transform communities so they can be self-sufficient. A relief team is being coordinated to travel to Haiti as soon as possible, and PID’s medical clinic in Port au Prince is a triage center for the wounded.
“Of the 3,000 people we serve in Port au Prince, there will be a long road of recovery ahead,” said Lisa Lassey, director of program development for PID. “The impact of the Common Man’s effort will be of great assistance as we begin to rebuild lives in Haiti.”
Common Man restaurants participating in “Common Effort for Haiti” include The Common Man restaurants in Lincoln, Ashland, Concord, Claremont, Merrimack, Windham and Portsmouth; Italian Farmhouse and Foster’s Boiler Room in Plymouth; Common Man Express Deli in Ashland; Lago at the Inn at Bay Point and Lakehouse Grille at Church Landing in Meredith; Tilt’n Diner in Tilton, Route 104 Diner in New Hampton and Airport Diner in Manchester
“We can come together, as residents of our great state always do in the wake of tragedy, and help our fellow men, women and children who are suffering during this tragic event,” said Jason Lyon, CEO of the Common Man family.
Common Man Vice President Diane Downing said the family of restaurants is hosting this fundraising event because being a socially-responsible business shouldn’t have boundaries. “It’s not just about supporting our local neighbors; it’s about how we can make an impact worldwide.”
“We are fortunate to live in communities where business leaders understand the urgent need for supporting disaster relief in the face of such tragedy,” said Maria White, chief executive officer for the American Red Cross in New Hampshire. “Support from the Common Man and its guests will be an important part of helping the Red Cross in this massive relief effort.”
Information about “Common Effort for Haiti” can be found on the Common Man family’s web site at thecman.com and the restaurant’s Facebook page at
The Common Man | Facebook. Up-to-the-minute information about the American Red Cross and its ongoing disaster relief efforts can be found at RedCross.org. To learn more about Partners in Development, visit pidonline.org or follow their relief efforts on Twitter @PIDonline.
