Pittsburgh, PA, January 3, 2013: Aside from festive cocktails and food samplings, party-goers at the kickoff celebration for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week can enter to win raffle prizes supporting two local charities – Garfield Community Farm and the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. The Pittsburgh Restaurant Week Kickoff Party is January 10, 2013 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Mini of Pittsburgh dealership in Bloomfield.

Garfield Community FarmAs a celebration for the community, Pittsburgh Restaurant Week sought advice from community partner, East Liberty Development Inc, for potential benefactors of the Kickoff Party raffles. ELDI nominated Garfield Community Farm. The organization exists to restore three acres of abandoned city land through ecological urban farming for the benefit of our lower income neighbors. GCF grows a diverse range of fruits, berries and vegetables which are made available through a farm stand, small vegetable subscription program and donations to the neighborhood food pantry.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food BankFor the second consecutive kickoff party celebration, Pittsburgh Restaurant Week will again support the local food bank. The Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is a widely-known charity with a mission to feed the hungry in southwestern Pennsylvania through a network of partners and to mobilize our region to end hunger.

“Just as the Pittsburgh Restaurant Week program’s mission is to highlight restaurants from across the steel city dining spectrum, it is great to be able to support both a widely-known and a smaller organization at our event” said Brian McCollum, Director of Pittsburgh Restaurant Week.

Tickets ButtonProceeds from the raffles will be split evenly between the two organizations. Raffle baskets will contain a range of items, from gift certificates and donations from restaurant week partners. Tickets for the Pittsburgh Restaurant Week Kickoff Party are available for $50 per guest at pittsburghrestaurantweek.com/pghrestaurantwk. Follow @PghRestaurantWk on Twitter and Like facebook.com/PittsburghRestaurantWeek for discounted ticket opportunities.