Community Corner
Shadowbrook Gives Back to Local Nonprofits
The Shadowbrook's 'Community Tuesday' offers patrons the opportunity to combine a delightful meal with a good cause.
The Shadowbrook restaurant's Community Tuesday, created in support of local nonprofits, is a 16-year tradition that offers restaurant guests the opportunity to eat for a cause by making a reservation under the charity of their choice.
Nonprofits schedule fundraising dinners at the Shadowbrook, and the restaurant accommodates them by allowing friends and donors to combine an elegant dinner with a good cause.
The Shadowbrook does its part by donating a third of patrons' dining bills to the nonprofit of their choice.
Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Begonia Festival, American Cancer Society, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Omega Nu, Dientes, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Hospice are just a handful of charities that benefit from Community Tuesday.
This week, hungry guests have the opportunity to dine in support of the Main Beach Volleyball Club, Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce and the Mountain Parks Foundation.
Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The fundraising dinners, which take place every Tuesday, were conceived during Shadowbrook owner Ted Burke's two years with the Friends of Long Marine Lab, which provides funding for public education, marine mammal programs and student research.
Burke helped produce gourmet fundraising dinners at the organization's university house and later moved to the Crow's Nest, which he co-owns with Bob Munsey.
“We gave the proceeds from the dinners to the lab that night, and I thought to myself that this format should become a large part of our community giving," Burke said. "We believe in helping groups who help themselves.”
To assist in getting the word out, Shadowbrook provides beautiful postcards with the organization's personalized invitation, date and time. The nonprofits print their own labels and mail them to as many supporters as they want.
Burke quoted a local philanthropist who once told him, “I love coming to your Community Tuesday events, [because] I can eat with whom I want, when I want, order what I want and not have to hear any speeches—and if I decide to buy an expensive wine, I know that one-third of it will go back to the organization I'm supporting.”
The list of nonprofits signed up for Community Tuesday can be found under “Special Events” on the Shadowbrook website.
