Delicious Foods Help Fight Breast Cancer

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by: Tony Faber
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Word Count: 456

Novel Fundraising Idea Creates Breast Cancer Awareness in Philadelphia
Caralea Arnold is well aware that there are thousands of charities out there raising money for thousands of different worthy causes. Sometimes what it takes for people to participate enthusiastically in this sort of activity is a novel and fun approach—Something that Arnold delivered in spades.
The very genesis of Arnold’s project is quite unusual. Arnold isn’t someone who had been impacted by breast cancer personally, or even through a friend or family member having the disease. Arnold had always had a strong commitment to women’s health issues, but most people need more motivation than that. Arnold was also inspired by taking a personal development class, call the self expression and leadership program, offered by a company called Landmark Education, that is supposed to be about being a leader and getting involved positively in one’s community.
Each person in the program created a project. Arnold’s was’ Bust Out—Breast Cancer Eating Awareness Day. ‘ In the project, Arnold spoke to various Philadelphia cafes and restaurants in participating in a one day event to provide breast cancer inspired foods and donating 50% of their proceeds to a charity that benefits people affected by breast cancer. By making the project public, it not only raised money for a worthy cause, but brought public awareness to it as well.
The idea of breast inspired foods brought a level of fun and childlike enthusiasm to the project as well. Many of the eateries offered food that was shaped like or looked like breasts, such as a pair of cupcakes with cherries on top. In all, 14 different establishments took part. Each of them pledged a minimum of $250 each, meaning that Arnold had already raised $3,500 before the day even began. The day was August 1, and it was a huge success, so much so that Arnold is already preparing a calendar of 2009 “Bust Out” events that will go on a calendar on her website (www.bust-out.org).
Money raised from the event went to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a 17 year-old organization based in nearby Haverford, PA, that helps breast cancer sufferers or survivors with services and information.
Local establishments took to the original nature of the fundraising effort.
“I think this creative way of doing this is a fun way to approach the whole idea,” said David Dougherty, whose family owns A Full Plate Café. “It keeps things light, even though it benefits an important issue.”
Arnold is pleased by the outcome of the project.
“I wanted to affect a lot of people,” said Arnold. “It just seems the more and more I talk to people, so many women are affected by this disease, and the women have charged through [treatment] and found humor and hope from it.”