Register for an Ambassador Training in Volunteer Hub.

This year, we are grateful to Russian River Brewing Windsor and Sonoma Pizza Co Forestville for hosting us! We’ll enjoy snacks and drinks!

1. • Tuesday, November 12, 11:30-12:30PM at Russian River Brewing Co. in Windsor
   • Tuesday, November 12, 5:00-6:00PM at Russian River Brewing Co. in Windsor
   • Wednesday, November 13, 10-11AM at Sonoma Pizza Co. in Forestville

Pick up your SUPPLY BAG at your training session.

This is your goodie bag! Everything you need for a successful event!

At the end of the event day on December 5, you will return this bag along with collected donations and envelopes. We will provide instructions for bag drop-off as we get closer to the event.

Your ambassador bag will contain the following materials:

Wearables:

• Nametag with red ribbon lanyard
• Apron
• I DINED OUT sticker – every patron gets one!
• Food For Thought t-shirt (new volunteers)

Handouts:

• Large postcard with raffle information and donation QR code
• Raffle entry forms/donation envelopes
• Pens
• I DINED OUT stickers

Support Materials:

• Ambassador Guide Booklet – with 1 page “cheat sheet”
• FFT program and services info
• List of the 20% off Tuesday locations
• A survey about your DOFL experience, including QR code to complete it virtually if you prefer!
• Large 10 x 13” envelope for all collected envelopes and donations

1. Visit Your Restaurant:

At your Ambassador Training session, you will receive RESTAURANT PR MATERIALS including posters and postcards encouraging patrons to return to “your restaurant” on December 5.  These “silent sellers” will help fill your restaurant on event day!!

Visit “your restaurant” in the few days after your training. Introduce yourself (hopefully to the manager), give them the PR materials (would they like help putting up the poster?!) and let them know you’ll be back to help on Dec. 5.

This is a great time to look around “your restaurant” to get a feel for how you should dress and determine with staff where you will sit on event day.

Ask if they have any questions or need anything else from us. If you don’t know an answer, let them know that you’ll find out, and contact our event team. Click here for a helpful script.

2. Tell everyone about the event:

Can you get 20 people (or more!) to eat at your restaurant?! Reach out to friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, congregation, school groups, and more, and invite them to mark their calendars for December 5, 2024. Let them know where and when, then encourage reservations! If they’re not interested in dining in person, invite them to order take-out! If they live too far away, they can donate online! Click here for inspiration.

3. Share via Facebook:

If you haven’t already, follow Food For Thought on Facebook and Instagram in order to easily share our posts about DOFL. Please RSVP to our event on Facebook, then, share and invite your friends! Here are instructions on how to invite friends via Facebook.  Copy & paste one of these messages and text it to your friends:

Save the date: Dec 5! I’ll be an ambassador this year at _________ (location): https://www.facebook.com/events/494044106963944/

Please join me at ____ (location) on Dec 5! https://www.facebook.com/events/494044106963944/

For more details, you can send this link to our main event page: https://www.fftfoodbank.org/dining-out-for-life

4. Start a Personal “Peer to Peer” Fundraiser

Amplify your impact before and during the event by creating a personal fundraising page. Encourage your contacts to dine out on December 5 while raising vital funds for Food For Thought. It’s ideal to set this up in early- to mid-November and then share the link with your network of friends and family. If you need help or have questions, please reach out to the events team.

What to Wear & Bring

Wear clothing that is appropriate at your location. Feel free to dress up a notch as if you are meeting your significant other’s parents for the first time! Your name badge and apron provided help identify you as an official representative of FFT and DOFL. Your FFT t-shirt may not be appropriate for your location. Don’t forget to bring your supply bag!

Arrival

Arrive on time for your scheduled shift. Re-introduce yourself to the main contact at your location. Thank them again for being a part of the event! Set up your supplies at the predetermined seat/table to use as your home-base. Stock a small amount of postcards, envelopes, pens, stickers, and support materials in your DOFL apron.

Approach Tables

Approach tables after patrons have ordered but have not received their meal. Keep your visit to each table to about 1-2 mins max. Here’s a helpful script. Leave post card, donation envelopes, pens and I DINED OUT stickers on their table while thanking them again. Collect donation envelopes from tables before they are reset, if applicable. Place completed envelopes in the large 10” x 13” envelope provided in your ambassador bag.

After your shift

At the end of your shift, please gather all completed donation envelopes from the shift and place into the large envelope. Fill out your ambassador survey form (or note you used the QR code to do so virtually) and include in the large envelope. SEAL the envelope. Return the apron, pens, large envelope, and remaining supplies into your ambassador bag. Please do not include trash or personal items in the bag. Keep your FFT T-shirt! Bring your bag to your drop-point person.

Are all donations tax deductible?
Yes! However, we only send a tax receipt for gifts over $10.00.

Do I have to make a donation to be eligible for the raffle?
No. We encourage donations to help make a big impact for Food For Thought.

How does Food For Thought utilize the funds raised for DOFL?
Food For Thought programs include healthy weekly groceries, vitamins and supplements, delivery to homebound and unhoused clients, prepared meals and nutrition counseling. All services are provided free of charge to our clients.

How does 20% Off Tuesdays work?
We are celebrating 35 years of service to Sonoma County. Patrons who donate $35 or more will receive a “20% Off Tuesdays” card in the mail – be sure to give us your mailing address!! Participating locations give a 20% discount off the food bill to any table with a “20% Off Tuesdays” card on Tuesdays throughout 2025.

Can I take my donation envelope home and donate later?
Yes! Make sure to send it in by Dec 13 to be included in the raffle drawing. Better yet, simply donate online by Dec. 13!

People near and far are invited to donate to this event until December 13! Donate online: fftfoodbank.org/DOFL. During the event, patrons can donate directly via provided postcards (QR code) and envelopes:

• ONLINE – best method: All DOFL print materials (including donation envelopes) include a QR code to FFT’s DOFL donation page. Patrons use the camera app on their smartphone to scan the QR code and instantly donate online or via Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo. As an incentive, anyone who donates online is eligible to win a $100 DoorDash gift card!
• Pay by check: Write the check out to: Food For Thought. Include contact information on envelope.
• Pay with cash: Fill out the donation envelope with contact information and include cash in the envelope.
• Pay with hand-written credit card: Fill out the donation envelope with contact information and credit card details. (Donor must include ALL contact information fields on envelope!! It’s easier and more efficient to donate online!)
• 20% Tuesdays card– For donations of $35 or more we will mail a 20% Off Tuesdays card. We MUST have a mailing address when they donate online or via the donation envelope.

As a Thank You for Dining Out, all patrons are eligible to enter the raffle!  In celebration of FFT’s 35 years of service, every $35 donation is an extra entry!

any donation = 1 raffle entry

$35= 2 entries

$70= 3 entries

$105= 4 entries

$3,500 = 101 entries

Donation not necessary to enter the raffle. They may simply fill out their information on an empty donation envelope and give to you or mail it on their own no later than Dec. 13, 2024. Must be 18 or over to enter the raffle. Winners will be informed by January 17, 2025.

1st Prize: Dine Around Sonoma County – Enjoy over $1,500 total in gift certificates to Ausiello’s Homeslice, Blue Ridge Kitchen, Dinucci’s Restaurant, Handline, Healdsburg Bar & Grill, Himalayan restaurant, Lunchette, Mombo’s Pizza, Namaste Kitchen, O & C China Bistro, Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar, Sake 107, Sonoma Pizza Co., Sushi Tozai, Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar, Terrapin Creek Cafe, Torches, Troubadour and Volpi’s!

2nd Prize: Enjoy a $1000 Shopping Spree to Oliver’s Markets!

3rd Prize: Hands-on Culinary Experiences for two with Parker Hill Provisions, The Epicurean Connection, and Wind & Rye Kitchen (Value $940)

Anyone who donates $35 or more will receive a 20% off Tuesdays Card in the mail to use at participating locations in 2025.

They must donate by Dec 13, 2024 and include their mailing information with their donation.

20% Off Tuesday Card is good for groups of up to six diners and should be shown when placing order. Excludes alcohol and holidays and cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.

Participating 20% off Tuesdays locations in 2025:

GUERNEVILLE

Koala’s Fine Food
The Lodge at Dawn Ranch (Sundays)

PETALUMA

Mi Pueblo El Centro

SANTA ROSA

Criminal Baking & Catering Company
Hook & Ladder Vineyards and Winery
Sazon Peruvian Cuisine
Tambayan Filipino Eatery

SEBASTOPOL

Blue Ridge Kitchen
Namaste Kitchen
Sushi Tozai

SONOMA

Los Molcajetes Bar & Grill (Sonoma)

VALLEY FORD

Rocker Oysterfeller’s Kitchen & Saloon

WINDSOR

Qimura Sushi & Ramen
Himalayan Restaurant

This is optional!

Super Ambassadors are ambassadors who have chosen to personally offer a special prize and drawing that will be an incentive for only the patrons of their restaurant and shift.

The Super Ambassador chooses the minimum donation amount to become eligible to win. We recommend choosing an easy number to remember and one that will help increase total donations.

For example:
Joe Smith is a Super Ambassador at The Bar & Grill for the dinner shift. Joe has a vacation rental and is offering a 2-night stay for anyone who donates $105 or more during his shift. Joe increases his total donation amounts for the night because he is able to tell everyone that if they donate $105 or more, they not only will receive a 20% off Tuesdays card in the mail, have 4 entries into the raffle, but on top of that, they will be eligible to win a drawing amongst the patrons at The Bar &  Grill during the dinner shift for a 2-night stay at the vacation rental.

If you choose to offer a prize and become a Super Ambassador, please let us know by December 1. Please email us with the details of your prize offering and the minimum donation necessary to become eligible to win the drawing. We will make sure that your supplies are updated to ensure success of this drawing post-event.