An earlier version of this post originally appeared in San Antonio Woman.
When our community set a vision for itself, we made sure to include philanthropy as a shared goal—not just because giving is a nice thing to do, but because it can help move the needle on all of our other goals. When more San Antonians support the organizations committed to driving change toward our vision, we know that vision becomes more attainable.
That’s why at SA2020 we encourage not just giving, but giving intentionally. We want everyone—from individuals to foundations—to find their “why” for giving. Why are you supporting this organization or program? What community result can you shift by giving?
Fortunately, there’s no shortage of philanthropic spirit—or creativity—in San Antonio. At SA2020, we’re especially inspired by one of our newest partnerships. The Cherrity Bar, a brand new establishment across from the Alamodome, will put the spotlight on 3 different area nonprofits each month. Guests will earn votes through food and drink purchases, and they can cast their ballot for the organization they most want to support. But in the spirit of goodwill and charity, it’s not a winner-take-all system. The organization with the most votes wins the lion’s share of the pool, but second and third place win a cut as well. Even third place should get a nice cut since The Cherrity Bar will donate 100% of the profits each month to charity. In addition to the 3 rotating charities, The Cherrity Bar will donate 10% of profits to Tourette Association of America, a cause and organization near and dear to the owners’ hearts, every month.
When The Cherrity Bar shared their ideas with SA2020 and asked us to be a partner, we were excited to do so for several reasons. First and foremost, the concept shakes up philanthropy and makes it incredibly easy to give back. Just by grabbing a cocktail (created by the one and only Jeret Peña) or food (by local restaurateur Michael Sohocki of Restaurant Gwendolyn and Kimura, with others to come), you’ll be increasing philanthropy in San Antonio.
Photo by Kody Melton, courtesy of Cherrity Bar
Secondly, The Cherrity Bar—and those who visit it—are giving back intentionally. SA2020 is working with the bar’s Advisory Board to find and select organizations that have proven that they’re impacting community results, like our 100+ SA2020 Partners. The featured organizations each month will get to share more of their impact and connect with new supporters. They’ll even have opportunities to put on special programming and provide a closer look at what they do. And by asking customers to vote on who their money goes to support, The Cherrity Bar will encourage people to think more about the community impact and discover their own “why” for giving.
The Cherrity Bar officially opens on Wednesday, March 28th and will benefit the San Antonio Police Department and San Antonio Fire Department’s Benevolent Funds. The voting begins on April 1st, with Blue Star Contemporary, San Antonio Sports, and San Antonio Youth Literacy kicking things off.
Between the drinks, food, and family-friendly atmosphere (including arcade games, lawn games, and a sensory room), there’s something for everyone at The Cherrity Bar. Come out to visit, have a drink or bite to eat, and cast a vote. By doing so, you’ll help change philanthropy in San Antonio and shift community results in the right direction.
