Stephen Starr and STARR Restaurants has launched “Support Our Schools,” a fundraising and awareness effort alongside The School District of Philadelphia. The month-long initiative hopes to motivate residents to get personally involved in the most profound financial crisis ever facing the city’s schools. The fundraising program will begin March 5 at all Philadelphia-based STARR Restaurants, including Buddakan, Morimoto, Serpico, Parc, The Dandelion, Talula’s Garden, Il Pittore and several more.
The STARR “Support our Schools” initiative will feature a strong, but simple call to action, requesting that patrons add a donation right onto their checks at the end of their meals. By simplifying the process of giving and being accessible in nearly every neighborhood, Starr believes Philadelphians will be compelled to help.
‘The School District’s needs are at historical proportions,” said Stephen Starr, owner of STARR Restaurants. “We simply can’t turn our backs on it and wait for others to try to fix it; we all have to do our part.”“I commend Stephen Starr, STARR Restaurants and our fellow Philadelphians for their willingness to help our students, staff and schools,” said Dr. William R. Hite, Superintendent of The School District of Philadelphia. “We greatly appreciate their generosity and support.”
The STARR “Support our Schools” initiative will benefit three specific areas of need, designated in collaboration with School District officials:
- Technology – Multimedia labs will be incorporated into instruction for research and programming
- Playworks – Organized elementary school recess program at elementary schools
- Summer Internships – Six-week program for high school students in partnership with WorkReady Philadelphia
STARR Restaurants has committed to making a significant donation for Playworks. The STARR team is also creating exclusive VIP experiences and packages to auction online at charitybuzz.com.
