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
As we come to the end of a very challenging year for us all, it’s good to know the true spirit of the season is still alive and well in our community. We are most grateful for your ongoing patronage of our member restaurants and for sharing this special initiative with us as we give back to those who need help the most. A special thanks Barnes and Noble and all the Tucson Original members who participated in both cooking demonstrations and in the special offer to book donors for the 2009 Book Drive for the kids at Diamond Children’s Medical Center. Over 6000 books have been purchased and donated to date!! Tucson Original board member Pat Connors (owner of Pastiche) met with Barnes and Noble representatives this week at UMC to present books to some of the kids now in the hospital. As you can see the gifts were met with delight. The Humane Society of Southern Arizona’s “Puttin’ On The Dog” 2001 through 2009

SACASA (Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault) “Dine Out For Safety” 2003 through 2009

Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson “The Event” 2002 through 2009

Primavera Foundation “Tucson Cooks!” and “Primavera Cooks!” 2000 through 2009

SAAF (Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation) Business Leadership Award

SAAF’s annual Jerôme Beillard “Festival for Life”

"Community Support Award” from the Primavera Foundation and the Tucson Community Food Bank
“Philanthropy with Phlavor” runs for the entire month of June and October with 5% going to our patrons’ choice from these 40 organizations:

Academy For Cancer Wellness
American Cancer Society - Tucson Office
American Diabetes Association - Tucson Office
American Heart Assn - Old Pueblo Division
Arizona Cancer Center
Arizona Greyhound Rescue of Southern AZ
Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum
Beowulf Alley Theatre
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson
Boy Scouts of America - Catalina Council
Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson
Casa de los Niños
Community Food Bank of Tucson & Pima County
Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse
Gospel Rescue Mission of Tucson
Habitat For Humanity
Haven, The - Women In Recovery
Hermitage Cat Shelter
Humane Society of Southern Arizona
Jewish Family & Children's Services
Literacy Volunteers of Tucson
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Nature Conservancy
New Beginnings
Our Family Services
Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona
Primavera Foundation
Ronald McDonald Hou se
Salpointe Catholic Education Foundation
Salvation Army of Tucson
So. Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault - SACASA
So. AZ Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation - SAAF
St. Luke's Home
Tu Nidito
Tucson Museum of Art
Tucson Symphony Orchestra
USS Tucson 770 Club
Wingspan
Youth On Their Own - YOTO


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!