Partnership Between Blue Plate Restaurants and People Serving People Brings Stability to Families in Community

MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- People Serving People, Minnesota's most comprehensive emergency shelter for families and a dedicated leader in homelessness prevention, announced today its continued collaboration with Blue Plate Restaurant Company and the results of their fifth annual Eat to the Max Campaign. Since 2014, Blue Plate Restaurants have raised more than $121,500 in support of People Serving People's crisis response programs, prevention efforts, and systems change work for families experiencing homelessness and instability.

"For our company to come together and raise funds and visibility for People Serving People is a big deal," said Anna Mailliard, Director of Marketing and Communications for Blue Plate Restaurant Company. "Each day our teams serve crave-able food and beverages at eight Twin Cities locations?quite the departure from fundraising. So for the ten days of Eat to the Max leading up to Minnesota's annual Give to the Max Day event, it's remarkable to see our restaurants unite for a cause like People Serving People."

Arlo Ashbach, Regional Blue Plate General Manager and GM at The Lowry, really gets excited for their annual Eat to the Max campaign. "My team really feels good knowing that they are supporting a local organization that they are familiar with. We have had several staff (Executive Chef included) who have volunteered or worked with People Serving People outside of our annual November Eat to the Max campaign," said Ashbach. "Our team sets goals for themselves; they have a drive and passion to out-perform our previous year's efforts."

Blue Plate Gives, the platform for all of their giving initiatives, focuses on donating to causes related to food, families and the communities that their restaurants serve. "We support People Serving People because no child chooses to be hungry or homeless," said Stephanie Shimp, owner of Blue Plate Restaurant Company. "People Serving People is committed to education for children. They partner with Minneapolis Public Schools to help facilitate 40 school buses each day so kids can stay in their home districts. They also have a commitment to community through education programs like their Culinary Arts Training Program, and we want to continue to help provide hope to families facing homelessness and hunger."

"More than half of individuals who experience homelessness in our community are families and the need for our programs has never been greater," said Noah Gerding, Director of Development for People Serving People. Support from Blue Plate's Eat to the Max campaign ensures that more than 3,000 individuals and more than 1,100 households each year can access three nutritious meals daily, safe emergency housing, toiletries, basic needs, onsite and upstream programs designed to break cycles of homelessness and poverty.

"It's all for such a good cause," said David Burley, owner of Blue Plate Restaurants. "Not only am I blown away by seeing the generosity of our guests, but then I think about our matching dollars for Eat to the Max, and how much more of an impact can be made - it gives me chills."

"We are so very grateful to Blue Plate Restaurants for helping raise awareness surrounding the systems and issues of family homelessness in the Twin Cities," said Daniel Gumnit, CEO of People Serving People. "The impact People Serving People makes would not be possible without Blue Plate's investments of time and resources. Because of Eat to the Max, People Serving People can walk alongside more than 1,000 families each year during an uncertain period in their lives and empower them to find and secure housing, employment, childcare, and the resources they need to move toward stability."

About People Serving People
People Serving People is the largest and most comprehensive emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness in Minnesota and a dedicated leader in homelessness prevention. Their downtown Minneapolis shelter has 99 emergency housing units and provided shelter to 3,093 individuals from 1,104 families in 2017. People Serving People combines crisis response with prevention and systems change work, helping children and their families who are experiencing homelessness and other adversities manage crisis situations and build a strong foundation for their long-term success. For more information go to http://www.peopleservingpeople.org or call 612.277.0219.

About Blue Plate Restaurant Company
Blue Plate Restaurant Company was started by David Burley and Stephanie Shimp in 1993 when they opened their first restaurant, Highland Grill, in the Highland neighborhood in St. Paul. They now employ over 600 people and have 8 brick and mortar restaurants in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the metro area including: Highland Grill, Groveland Tap, Edina Grill, Longfellow Grill, 3 Squares, The Lowry, The Freehouse, Mercury Dining Room and Rail; an event space in downtown Minneapolis, Shindig; and The Blue Barn at the Minnesota State Fair.

SOURCE People Serving People