From the onset of our restaurant, Pastiche Modern Eatery, my wife and I, have had a strong, personal commitment of being involved and helping out as much as possible in our Tucson community. From volunteering at a local homeless shelter, to planning city-wide fundraising events for different groups, to having underprivileged kids tour, dine and learn at Pastiche, to donating food to AIDS outreach patients, to volunteering at our kid’s schools, to donating countless gift certificates, food and staff for charity events, our commitment is genuine and ongoing.

However, not unlike other restaurants, our resources are limited and we cannot say "yes" to everyone requesting a cash or gift certificate donation. Nine years ago we decided that we had to come up with a "plan". As a result, Pastiche Modern Eatery has conducted a unique and verypopular charitable contributions campaign in Tucson called "Philanthropy with Phlavor". Through the "Philanthropy with Phlavor" program, Pastiche’s patrons aid us in deciding who receives the majority of Pastiche’s charitable dollars. Twice each year, throughout the months of June and October, our guests not only enjoy an outstanding meal but also have the opportunity to choose their favorite nonprofit organization to receive a donation from Pastiche. We are very pleased that this highly successful program has donated over $80,000 to so many of our community’s worthy nonprofits.

The program is simple: each time a customer dines at Pastiche, orders Take-Out food, makes a purchase at the Pastiche Wine Shop, or buys Pastiche gift certificates during the months of June and October, our staff invites them to choose one of 40 nonprofit organizations to receive 5% of their check amount (before tax, gratuity, or discounts). After organizing and researching the thousands of responses from our guests, Pastiche sends out the checks to our community’s hardworking and extremely valuable nonprofits.

"Philanthropy with Phlavor" has really caught on in Tucson and grows more and more popular with both customers and nonprofits each time. The donated amounts doubled in only three years! The nonprofits frequently mention the "Philanthropy with Phlavor" program in their newsletters and they send supporters to Pastiche, especially during June and October, as there is now a friendly rivalry among the nonprofits to try to be in the top ten recipients!

Pastiche has been nominated three times for the National Restaurant Association’s "Good Neighbor Award" for philanthropy, and Pastiche has won the Arizona Restaurant Association’s "Good Neighbor Award" several years in a row. In Tucson, we have had inquiries from other restaurants on how to start this program for their establishments. We hope that this kind of program catches on, not only locally, but nationwide. We intend to carry on this unique and fun Pastiche tradition indefinitely!

Patrick M. Connors
Owner and General Manager at Pastiche Modern Eatery

"Philanthropy with Phlavor" runs for the entire month of June and October with 5% going to our patrons’ choice from these 40 organizations:

2011 JUNE and OCTOBER

YOTO - Youth On Their Own
Wingspan
VOICES, Inc. *
Tucson Symphony Orchestra
Tucson Museum of Art
Tu Nidito
Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation - SAAF
So. AZ Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Salvation Army of Tucson
Salpointe Catholic Education Foundation
Ronald McDonald House
Primavera Foundation for the Homeless
Planned Parenthood Arizona
OMA - Opening Minds Through The Arts *
Nature Conservancy
Mobile Meals of Tucson
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Literacy Volunteers of Tucson
Jewish Family & Children's Services
Interfaith Community Services *
Humane Society of Southern Arizona
Hermitage Cat Shelter
Haven - Women In Recovery
Habitat For Humanity
Gospel Rescue Mission of Tucson
Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse
Diaper Bank of Southern AZ
Community Food Bank of Tucson & Pima County
Casa de los Niños
Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson
Beowulf Alley Theatre
Ben's Bells
Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum
Arizona Greyhound Rescue of Southern AZ
Arizona Cancer Center
American Diabetes Association - Tucson Office
American Cancer Society - Tucson Office
Alzheimer’s Association - Desert SW Chapter *
Academy For Cancer Wellness *

   * new in 2011

Pastiche’s customers make the decision as to which nonprofits are on the "Philanthropy With Phlavor" Top 40 List.

Each calendar year, the five lowest-dollar recipients from both June and October "PWP” will be rotated off the Top 40 List, and the five nonprofits receiving the most customer inclusion requests will be added. Our patrons simply write in the name of a nonprofit organization that they'd like to see represented in the future at the bottom of the “PWP” ballot in June or October.

In this way the “PWP 40 List” will be modified each year, and new groups will have the chance to participate. The best way to get your group added is to urge all your supporters to patronize Pastiche in June and October and request your group on the ballot!