September at The Benefit Restaurant Project is dedicated to Philanthropy. Wikipedia puts it this way: “Philanthropy is the effort or inclination to increase the well-being of mankind, as by charitable aid or donations.”

We’re particularly interested in emphasizing and supporting efforts to give well – that is, to give effectively [as opposed to wastefully; we want our money to actually do good!] and, especially this month, to give personally [we want to show how money can be effectively given to specific people, to fill specific needs]. A friend of Bob’s knew that and turned him on to SmallCanBeBig.org, now our September beneficiary – an excellent example of Active Engagement and Philanthropy.

Since we’re a new philanthropic model ourselves, naturally we’re interested in other new philanthropic models. SmallCanBeBig.org has unique appeal, so we’re breaking one of our own important rules with the choice of SmallCanBeBig.org [SCBB]…. All our other beneficiaries are 501(c)(3) non-profits in their own right; they themselves are the direct recipients of our Benefit Restaurant™ funding. But SCBB is instead a consolidator of other established charities and nonprofits that they have made partners.

SCBB carefully vetted all of their partners to be sure that they are of high quality and in alignment with SCBB’s own mission. It is this family of first-class local nonprofits – such as Cambridge Family & Children’s Service, Project Hope, and Wellspring House – that SCBB has gathered that are ultimately the direct recipients of Benefit Restaurant™ funding.