Chi Fan for Charity Seeking Silent Auction and Raffle Donations Before Event on Nov 5

Things are ramping up ahead of this year's Chi Fan for Charity (CFFC), held at 65 restaurants across town on Saturday, November 5. Now in its eighth year, CFFC has raised over RMB 4 million for charitable causes to date, with 100 percent of proceeds going to beneficiaries.

This year's beneficiaries, announced back in July, are The Starfish Project and Dandelion School. Earlier this year, Steven Schwankert described the two beneficiaries as thus:

"Starfish Project is a non-profit organization with a social enterprise that restores hope for trafficked and exploited women. Starfish Project provides these women and their children with shelter, counseling, access to healthcare, educational opportunities, child education grants, and vocational training. Additionally, they provide full-time employment in our social enterprise jewelry company, where women can use the skills they have learned to provide for themselves and their families. Through their holistic care programs and vocational opportunities they have seen women with little to no education gain the skills to become graphic designers, accountants, photographers, and managers.

The second organization, Dandelion School, works with migrant workers' children. Migrant workers contribute to everyone's daily life on Beijing. However, children from low-income migrant families are not eligible for middle school education in the city. So Dandelion School began in 2005 to serve as a local non-profit organization and provide access to quality education to migrant children. However, after 10 years, the worn-out classrooms and dormitories are dangerous for accommodating close to 700 students and staff. The new campus project will help Dandelion School to build a safe and durable campus and ensure the school's development in the long run. Although Dandelion students are from low-income migrant families, we believe they deserve quality education and durable classrooms, just like every other student in Beijing."

The event may be just a few weeks away now but the organizers are still happy to accept donations for the silent auction and raffle, both of which will take place at the after party at the very snazzy Mercedes Me in Sanlitun. Donations can be anything from dining vouchers, unique experiences, physical items like jewelry, etc! See more information about sponsorship and donations here. Depending on the level and value of your donation, in exchange, you will get your name on the CFFC website and promotional materials, tickets to the after party, and more. 

We've always admired both CFFC's ability to root out new and interesting restaurant partners, and the willingness of Beijing's F&B people to take part. New restaurants this year, of which there are 17, include The Georg, Steakhouse in the Topwin Center, and Mercedes Me's Sifang Sanchuan. Also new this year, guests will pay for their seat at the table of their choice through the EventBank platform (previous years have used Yoopay). Seats for popular restaurants sell out quickly – or are booked up by the table hosts – so make sure to make your choice soon!

More stories by this author here.

Instagram: @gongbaobeijing
Twitter: @gongbaobeijing
Weibo: @宫保北京

Photo: Chi Fan for Charity