Support from Valley Residents, Culinary Community During Las Vegas Restaurant Week Provides Over 180,000 Meals to Food-Insecure Residents
Southern Nevada’s food aficionados and culinary community came together in a big way to support Las Vegas Restaurant Week this year. In addition to a record number of first-time restaurant participants, funds donated during the 12-day event will provide more than 180,000 meals to the nearly 364,000 valley residents struggling with hunger.
Since 2007, more than 5.5 million meals have been provided for those in need through Las Vegas Restaurant Week. This year – to drive business to the participating restaurants and make participation easier during uncertain times – Three Square required a donation of just $1 from every meal sold, instead of the $4-$6 collected in years past. As a result, there were 48 first-time restaurant participants – the highest in the event’s history – bringing the total number of restaurant participants to 129.
“It’s been a challenging year for local restauranteurs, so when we learned that Las Vegas Restaurant Week would serve as a mechanism, to not only help feed hungry people in our community, but also to give hard-hit restaurants a hand up…we were ecstatic,” said Kim Owens, Owner of Main St. Provisions, a first-time participant in Las Vegas Restaurant Week. “It was such a great experience for our new restaurant that we look forward to participating in the years to come.”
From June 7-18, restaurants across the valley had the option of offering the traditional three-course menus, specialty menus and/or take-out menus at price points ranging from $20-$80. Furthermore, nearly 40 restaurants extended their participation in Las Vegas Restaurant Week through July 25.
“We have participated in Las Vegas Restaurant Week every year since 2013,” said Laurie Kendrick, General Manager at Table 34. “Over the years, our involvement has helped Three Square provide an additional 48,990 meals to community members in need. We refused to let the pandemic take that from us, which is why it was so important for us to continue to stand by Three Square this year and fight food insecurity.”
Food insecurity in Southern Nevada remains above pre-pandemic levels. One in six community members don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Additionally, one in four children is now living in a food-insecure household.
For more information about Three Square Food Bank, visit. www.threesquare.org.
About Three Square Food Bank
Three Square is Southern Nevada’s only food bank and largest hunger relief organization, serving Las Vegas and all of Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda and Nye counties. Since opening in 2007, Three Square has provided more than 444 million pounds of food to hundreds of thousands of people in need and earned a reputation as one of the most efficient and effective food banks in the country. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Three Square immediately implemented a disaster response plan to answer sudden school and business closures, drastic declines in retail food donations, social distancing limitations on volunteer efforts, reduced on-site staff support, and the need for low-contact food distributions. Within days, Three Square had increased food distribution by 250,000 meals a week and increased the capacity of its Call Center to refer Southern Nevadans to available food resources, social services, and unemployment benefits. While Three Square’s COVID-19 relief efforts have superseded regular programs and operations for the foreseeable future, it is more committed than ever to its mission of providing wholesome food to hungry people, while passionately pursuing a hunger-free community. Three Square is a member of the Feeding America network of food banks. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, or wants to learn more about Three Square’s vision of a community where no one is hungry, please connect at threesquare.org, Facebook (@ThreeSquareFoodBank),
Instagram (threesquarelv) and Twitter (@threesquarelv).