The Chicago Private Dining Steakhouse Group, including Molise PR client Lawry’s The Prime Rib, and the Futures Industry Association (FIA) will host one of the biggest fundraisers of the year to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The Great Chicago Steak Out fundraiser arrives at a critical time for the Food Depository, which is serving 59 percent more individuals at pantries versus three years ago.

Fans of Chicago’s finest steakhouses may support the campaign online by visiting the Great Steak Out link on ChicagosFoodBank.org. Every $25 increment donated receives a raffle entry for a chance to win dinner for a year (gift certificates to a selection of 12 top steakhouses valued at approximately $1,400.)

Then, on November 1, The Chicago Private Dining Steakhouse Group will provide all of the food at the annual Futures Industry Association’s Futures Cares Great Chicago Steak Out, a private event that draws attendees from the concurrent FIA Futures and Options Expo.  Last year’s annual Futures Cares dinner, catered by The Chicago Private Dining Steakhouse Group, raised $390,000 in support of the Food Depository and its network of 650 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

The Chicago Private Dining Steakhouse Group members are Benny’s Chop House, Carmichael’s Chicago Steak House, David Burke’s Primehouse, Ditka’s, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Winebar, Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse, Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse, III Forks, Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Mastro’s Steakhouse, Michael Jordan’s Steak House, Morton’s The Steakhouse, Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Shula’s Steak House, Smith & Wollensky, Stetson’s Chop House, Sullivan’s Steakhouse, The Capital Grille- Chicago, The Chicago Firehouse, The Grill on the Alley, The Grillroom Chophouse & Winebar, The Palm Restaurant,  and Wildfire Steaks, Chops & Seafood.

ABOUT CHICAGO PRIVATE DINING STEAKHOUSE GROUP

The Chicago Private Dining Steakhouse Group was founded in 2004 by Kelly McGrath, Director of Sales at Mastro’s Steakhouse, with the support of Lynette Velez, Director of Sales at Gibson’s Steakhouse. In an effort to provide their clients with an alternative when their own private dining space was sold out, they referred business to one another knowing that they would each care for the other’s clients’ private dining needs.  Their goal was to ensure that clients coming to Chicago for steak would get the true “Chicago Steakhouse Experience”.

Kelly and Lynette decided to expand the idea to others in the steakhouse industry that shared the principles of excellent customer service, accommodating and caring for each other’s clientele, and sharing best business practices to improve a clients’ overall dining experience.

Over the past eight years, the members of the group have not only been colleagues, but have become friends, as well. Now this group of “competitors” comes together for the second year in a row to give back to their community with The Great Chicago Steak Out.
ABOUT THE FUTURES INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

The Futures Industry Association is the leading trade organization for the futures, options and OTC cleared derivatives markets. Its membership includes the world’s largest derivatives clearing firms as well as leading derivatives exchanges from more than 20 countries. As the principal members of the derivatives clearinghouses, FIA member firms play a critical role in the reduction of systemic risk in the financial markets. They provide the majority of the funds that support central clearinghouses and commit a substantial amount of their own capital to guarantee customer transactions.

FIA’s core constituency consists of futures commission merchants, and the primary focus of the association is the global use of exchanges, trading systems and clearinghouses for derivatives transactions. FIA’s regular members, who act as the majority clearing members of the U.S. exchanges, handle more than 90% of the customer funds held for trading on U.S. futures exchanges.

ABOUT THE GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago’s food bank, is a nonprofit food distribution and training center providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community. The Food Depository distributes donated and purchased food through a network of 650 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters to 678,000 adults and children in Cook County every year. Last year, the Food Depository distributed 64 million pounds of nonperishable food and fresh produce, dairy products and meat, the equivalent of 134,800 meals every day. The Food Depository’s programs and services for children, older adults and the unemployed and underemployed address the root causes of hunger. For more information, log onto chicagosfoodbank.org or call 773-247-FOOD.