Night of 100 Dinners returns to homes, restaurants March 5

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Achieve Foundation’s “Night of 100 Dinners” is an annual fundraising event, now in its 12th year, in which residents host dinners in their homes to raise awareness of and money for Achieve programs that directly impact students in the South Orange-Maplewood School District. Hosts donate their party costs to Achieve and guests contribute $50 per person to attend. Sixty party hosts and co-hosts have invited more than 1,000 guests throughout Maplewood and South Orange into their homes for the event, scheduled for March 5.

New for this year, Achieve has expanded the event by partnering with local restaurants, which will donate a percentage of their net proceeds to Achieve as “Night of 100 Dinners Restaurant Hosts” on the following dates and times:

• Thursday, March 3, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., Verjus Restaurant at 1790 Springfield Ave. in Maplewood, reservations are encouraged;
• Sunday, March 6, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., The Maplewood Grille at 149 Maplewood Ave. in Maplewood; and
• Tuesday, March 8, from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., Bunny’s Sports Bar at 14 West South Orange Ave. in South Orange, donation based on food purchases only.

No invitation required! Simply show up at any — or all — of the restaurants at the specified dates and times, mention you are there for Achieve’s Night of 100 Dinners and dine as usual.

“Every year, we get inquiries from people in the community who want to participate in the event but aren’t able to host or attend a party,” Achieve Executive Director Deborah Prinz said in a press release. “Our Night of 100 Dinners restaurant hosts are creating an opportunity for anyone — even whole families — to be a part of it. At the same time, we welcome the support of these generous local businesses and hope that this great cause will increase their patronage.”

  Achieve Foundation