Donation nights
The Flying Squirrel will donate 10 percent of its sales on the following nights to the corresponding nonprofit organizations. Lamp Post Group will match the donations. The list grows regularly. Below are the remaining event for this year, so far.› Feb. 23: Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute› March 1: Therapeutic Recreation Services› April 6: Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.› Apr 20: Autism & Behavior Services› April 26: Alzheimer’s Association› May 3: Friends of Cloudland Canyon State Park› May 5: ArtsBuild› May 18: Northside Neighborhood House› June 1: Pet Placement Center› Sept. 15: Chattanooga Technology CouncilTo submit a request for consideration email contact@flyingsquirrelbar.com
Rachel Hanson
Max PoppelLast year, the Flying Squirrel raised nearly $30,000 for nonprofit organizations in town. The year before, it raised almost $25,000.
That's commendable, of course. But the donations came simply from folks eating and drinking at the restaurant and bar in Chattanooga's Southside.
The Flying Squirrel partners with different area charities on nights throughout the week and donates 10 percent of its sales on those nights to the charities. This year, venture incubator Lamp Post Group is matching the money that Flying Squirrel donates.
"We thought it was a creative way for organizations to benefit from two entities at the same time," said Rachel Hanson of Lamp Post Group.
The restaurant approached the venture incubator because it has "long had an entrepreneurial crush" on Lamp Post Group, said Max Poppel, a Flying Squirrel owner. That admiration extends to the venture incubator's commitment to give back to the community, he said. "We thought our similar values would make them an excellent partner."
The restaurant's donation nights started after its team helped Chattanooga Therapeutic Recreation put on programming for children and adults with physical, cognitive or emotional disabilities, Poppel said. The Flying Squirrel team volunteered time for the organization's climbing program.
In late 2013, the organization invited Flying Squirrel's team to a "donation night" at a downtown restaurant, wherein Chattanooga Therapeutic Recreation would get 10 percent of sales for anyone who was with its group and had a flyer regarding the event.
"We thought that was too restricting, and if the establishment were really backing this donation night, it should be for all of their sales," Poppel said. "So we pitched the idea of doing a night at Flying Squirrel where we'd donate 10 percent of all sales for the night to them. They said yes and hyped the night to the point that we were busier than normal, so it was a win-win."
The Flying Squirrel has donated to dozens of organizations since then.
An organization must be a registered nonprofit making an immediate impact in Chattanooga to be considered. It must take ownership of the marketing, using all its channels to "hype the event, draw a crowd and make it a memorable gathering," Poppel said. It must also have a representative at the restaurant on the night of its event to engage guests who are interested in learning more about the organization's work, he said.
Mitra Malek writes about innovation, with a particular interest in the environment and wellness. Contact her at mmalek@timesfree press.com. Follow her on Twitter @MitraMalek.