The Tacolicious location at 632 Emerson Street in Palo Alto. Photo by Palo Alto Pulse.
A simple idea yields big results for schools
In 2011 Sara Deseran and Joe Hargrave, the co-owners of the restaurant Tacolicious, faced a familiar challenge: their children’s public school needed resources, but they were frustrated with spending time on complicated, low yield fundraisers.
So they looked at their business- running busy restaurants in San Francisco (and now Palo Alto)- and and wondered how to leverage it to raise funds for public schools. Thus was born the Tacolicious School Project, which has donated more than $500,000 to 45 local public schools over the past 3+ years.
The genius of the Tacolicious School Project is its simplicity: On Monday nights, 15% of the revenue for each restaurant is donated to a local public school. The five restaurants owned by Tacolicious (four Tacolicious locations and another called Chino) each partner with nine public schools, chosen for their proximity to the location. The schools get one month of Mondays a year, adding up to an average donation of $4000-$8000 per school, depending on the month, volume of business, etc.
“My parents are teachers and I believe in public education,” said Sara, a food writer who is the parent of three children. “But schools clearly need more resources and it’s too much work to expect parents to do all the fundraising. The Tacolicious School Program is an great way for us to support the community, teachers and children by giving back to local schools.”
Sara Deseran and Joe Hargrave, owners of Tacolicious and parents of children in public school. Photo courtesy of Sara Deseran.
Easiest fundraiser. Ever.
What’s amazing is that this donation requires almost no work from parents at all. When Tacolicious opened in Palo Alto in 2013, PTA leaders from Addison school were blown away by the unsolicited donation of over $4,000 they received from the Tacolicious School Project.
Two years later, the Tacolicious School Project is a cherished event at Addison and on Monday nights in March, many Addison families can be found at 632 Emerson Street, sipping margaritas and noshing on tacos, salads and more.
Schools promote the Tacolicious School Project and encourage parents to eat at the restaurant on Monday nights during their designated month, but the program gives a donation regardless of how much of the patronage comes from parents of the beneficiary school.
In Palo Alto, the Tacolicious School Project benefits a wide range of schools in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto: Addison Elementary, Belle Haven Elementary, Brentwood Academy, Costano School, El Carmelo Elementary, Los Robles Elementary, Ronald McNair Middle School, and Willow Oaks Elementary. (Please note that Tacolicious is unable to accommodate additional schools at this time).
An unexpected upside: festive Monday nights at Tacolicious
The School Project has made Mondays a family-oriented night at Tacolicious in Palo Alto, with kids running around and parents enjoying great food and drinks in a fun and relaxing atmosphere.
“Restaurants are one of the last places where informal socializing happens,” Sara said. “The Tacolicious School Project gives our Monday nights a feeling of connection- our restaurants have become a place to build community and see families from diverse backgrounds and neighborhoods.”
John Cabrera, the manager of Tacolicious in Palo Alto, sees the benefits of the School Project for recruiting employees and increasing business on Monday nights. “I am very proud of how we give back to local schools,” he said. “It’s made our Monday nights busier and more fun, and it’s one of the first things I tell people when they interview to work here. Tacolicious takes care of its employees and the community.”
Make Mondays taco and margarita night and support a local business that is giving back
Addison moms enjoy a night out at Tacolicious. Photo by Palo Alto Pulse.
The Tacolicious School Project is a win for everyone, from its owners and employees who know they are helping the community, to the customers enjoying delicious, locally-sourced food, to schools in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, who receive a donation from the effort. Cheers to that!
Visit Tacolicious on Monday nights in March and part of the proceeds will go to Addison Elementary School, located at 350 Addison Avenue in Palo Alto.
For more information, visit the Tacolicious website.
Another great article about the typical innovative thinking that the PAlto area seems to generate on a regular basis