Eat for Free At Zen Garden's Customer Appreciation Day (and Support Good Causes)

Having recently told you about so many restaurant closings it warms my heart to tell you that Zen Garden is again this year offering free food on Wednesday November2 26, 2008 for their annual Thanksgiving Customer Appreciate Day.

It warms my heart because knowing how the economy is it's wonderful to know that people are sticking to doing good works and donating to charity. It also warms my heart because, while the recipients of the charitable donations benefit from this event, Louisville food lovers also benefit. If money is tight and you can't go out as much you would like and support Louisville restaurants you can go to Zen Garden on Wednesday and pay what you can. You can have a wonderful meal (truly I love the food at Zen Garden), pay what you can and have one more thing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. And if you can afford to give more to support Zen Garden's charitable donation drive then you'll give us all one more thing to be thankful for.

For the sixth year, Coco will serve up free, vegetarian Vietnamese food to those who stop in from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26 at the restaurant, 2240 Frankfort Ave. Customers are welcome and encouraged to make donations to one of several nonprofits. The nonprofit recipients change each year, but all are nominated by Tran's customers.

The first $1000 raised will go to Compassionate Service Society, a California center which creates a spiritual and healing environment for body, mind and spirit. The balance of the money will be distributed among the following:

1. Esperanza en Accion (Promoting fair-trade art from Nicaragua) Esperanza, or "Hope in Action" is Nicaragua-based and sells fair-trade products, economically empowering Nicaraguan artisans, fair trade garment factory workers (former sweatshop workers), and fair trade coffee farming cooperatives and their families.

2. Hand in Hand Ministries (for an AIDS clinic in Belize) Hand in Hand Ministries is a Louisville faith-based international service organization that provides food, shelter, clothing, medicine and other basics to the poorest of the poor, giving them dignity today and hope for tomorrow. Hand In Hand Ministries operates in Belize, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Appalachia.

3. Oxfam International (for relief work in Darfur, Sudan) Oxfam International, a confederation of 13 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries, searches for solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice.

4. Food Is Elementary (for work in Jefferson County schools) This curriculum teaches children about food, nutrition, and culture by introducing healthful foods through the traditions of different cultures. Already in six schools locally, this program will become available in many more schools, especially among lower income students.

Zen Garden
2240 Frankfort Ave
Louisville, KY 40206