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MagDinMo Served a Lot of Diners and Raised a Lot of Dineros

Written By Scott Joseph On December 14, 2018

Magdinmo checkBest Buddies ambassadors Seaira Sevison and Travis Morgan; Emily Hunt, director of state operations, Best Buddies Florida; Don Engfer, Visit Orlando Board Chair; Joanne Marsal Vassos, American Express; Amy Drow, development manager, Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida; and Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida ambassadors Paige and Tristan McMillen. Image courtesy of Visit Orlando.

A record number of people dined at participating Visit Orlando Magical Dining Month restaurants this year, 251,766 to be exact.

How do I know that? Because for each dinner sold from the special $35 three-course menu, the restaurants donated one dollar to charities chosen by Visit Orlando to benefit from the proceeds. This year the dining program raised $251,766, more than any previous year.

The recipients of the dining dollars this year are Best Buddies, which fosters inclusion and one-to-one friendships for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and The Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida, which strives for acceptance and empowerment for people with Down syndrome and their families.

“What another fantastic year for our Magical Dining program,” George Aguel, president and CEO of Visit Orlando, said in a statement. “Along with our valuable members in the restaurant industry, we’re excited to make this record contribution to our friends at Best Buddies and the Down Syndrome Association.”

Visit Orlando estimates that it has donated more than $1 million to local charities since initiating the donation feature in 2009. Other charities that have benefitted include:

South Steel SJO March AD copy

BASE Camp Children’s Cancer Foundation (2017)
Freedom Ride (2017)
Russell Home for Atypical Children (2016)
ELEVATE Orlando (2015)
Foundation for Foster Children (2014)
Ronald McDonald House Charities (2013)
Edgewood Children’s Ranch (2012)
Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida (2011)
Arts & Cultural Alliance of Central Florida (2010)
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children (2009)

If you’re involved in a nonprofit organization and would like to be considered for the MagDinMo funds, contact Visit Orlando. To be eligible for support, organizations must be based in Central Florida and benefit children in Orange County. Applications are reviewed over the course of several months, and members of Visit Orlando’s Board of Directors provide input and final approval during the selection process.

We hope you find our reviews and news articles useful and entertaining. It has always been our goal to assist you in making informed decisions when spending your dining dollars. If we’ve helped you in any way, please consider making a contribution to help us continue our journalism. Thank you.

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