Two Canadian non-profit organizations are hoping to make it easier for Vancouver diners to give back to those in need. StreetSmart Canada and Mealshare have partnered with local restaurants to help provide food and meals to the people who need it most.

At a launch event on November 6, StreetSmart Canada founder and chairman Ronald Josephson stated that more than 30 Vancouver restaurants are participating in the second-annual event, which raises funds for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. The StreetSmart program, which started in England more than a decade ago, operates in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and India.

“In Canada, we have chapters in Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, and also Kingston,” Josephson said to the media. “At this time of year, people are looking for ways to give money to the food banks— in this case, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. People want to give money. They’re just looking for ways to do that.”

At restaurants—including Chambar, Caché Bistro and Lounge, España, Fable, Maenam, Provence Marinaside, Fish House in Stanley Park, and Milestones locations—diners can opt to add $1 or more to their bill at the end of a meal.

“One hundred percent of every dollar you donate at the restaurant goes straight to StreetSmart and straight to the food bank. The reason we can do that is because the costs to run the program are covered by our sponsors,” Josephson said. “Every dollar that goes to the food bank allows them to buy $3 worth of food.”

While StreetSmart runs for a limited time—from now until the end of December—MealShare, which launched earlier this year in Alberta, is an ongoing project.

The Vancouver chapter of MealShare launched in August with three participating restaurants—Aphrodite’s Organic Café, Darby’s Pub, and Gurkha Himalayan Kitchen—and starting November  14, four more restaurants—C Restaurant, WHET, Ethical Kitchen, and Living Café —will be included.

“We see a lot of people wanting to align their values with their purchase these days,” Derek Juno, MealShare’s creative director told the Straight in a phone interview. “Here, you’re buying a meal and you’re providing a meal.”

When diners at participating restaurants order a menu item with the MealShare logo beside it, the restaurant donates $1 to the program. From there, a percentage of that dollar, which Juno was unable to disclose, is donated to two charities.

In Vancouver, half the proceeds will go to local organization Mission Possible, which provides meals, crisis counselling, job assistance, and support to people who are homeless; and the other half will benefit the Children’s Hunger Fund, an international group that offers food and aid to children around the world.