Photo courtesy of Xavier Xargay.
Sitting in the Restaurant TiaSanta in the Eixample, Barcelona, across the table from Xavier Xargay, founder of the charity Dinners That Matter, I get the feeling that I have known him for years, even though we have only just met less than an hour ago. It is hard not to warm immediately to this self-proclaimed, 56-year-old citizen of the world (and proudly Catalan) oozing enthusiasm and passion for his project to help the people who are most in need. In congruence with his values of sharing, he gives me half of his breakfast bocadillo of ham and cheese and in return I fire him the first question:
Where did you get the idea for Dinners That Matter?
When I lived in the US, I was walking one day in Manhattan and saw a poster on the wall advertising an annual event, a charity dinner for AIDS research. People met at a number of restaurants across the city and 35% of the takings from each restaurant would be sent directly to the local AIDS research center. I thought the idea was brilliant, groups of people get to come together, to meet, network, have dinner and at the same time give to a needy cause. This was something to really think about twice.
How did you create Dinners That Matter here in Barcelona?
Although the New York model was a great idea, I asked myself, why do this only one night a year? Why only one cause? So, when I worked on the project further I decided it would be an event we would hold several times a year and the donations would go to different causes, not just one since I did not find one charity more important than another. When we launched we initially linked up with the big charity names in the city, you know, Sant Joan de Deu, Parr Manel (who have been very supportive since the very beginning). Over time we have partnered with a variety of different charities—big and small—and now we have an established format.
We hold events four times a year in restaurants across the city. Each restaurant that collaborates gives 25% of the takings of that night to the charity selected which represents the cause we want to give visibility to. There is nothing deducted, everything goes directly to the charity. The four annual events support four different needs: Hunger, illness, disability and the elderly. All of the charities are local, as the idea is to help the people nearest to us. We have found this appeals to everyone and the growth in the project has been really exciting.
After three-and-a-half years, how do you get more people to support the idea? After all, there are so many other ways people can give to charity. How do you compete with everyone else?
It is simple, we don't compete with anyone! You see, the idea is unique and is a win-win for all of the groups involved. Let me explain how:
- The people who participate get to go out and simply have dinner. At some events it may be a meetup with long-term friends. In others, they may be networking events, where you can meet like-minded people. The diners simply pay for the food and drink they consume, like any normal night. Except on this occasion a portion of the money they pay goes to a good cause.
- The restaurants involved get a story to share with their customers and become ambassadors for the cause. They get publicity and at the same time have the opportunity to give back to the community supporting people really in need.
- The charities get donations, visibility and potential new sponsors. They get a chance to raise awareness about the work they are doing.
And Xavier? What does Xavier get?
Xavier gets lots (laughs). Lots of work! Lots to do, but no money! I take nothing out of this but generate community and the great pride in seeing my vision come true. But this is not just my project, I want this to be everyone's project! Anyone can arrange a dinner at one of the restaurants. Anyone can organize an event. We have to spread awareness and make this much bigger. I am passionate about what we can do, how we can grow and the unlimited power of the awareness we can generate all together.
So what is your vision, Xavi? How will you grow Dinners That Matter?
Well, next up, I want to bring a fourth actor into the equation. We have the diners, the restaurants and the charities. Now we have to add business. Businesses can sponsor events as part of their social corporate responsibility requirements and, at the same time, gain direct, local visibility plus access to all of the networks involved.
We are also adding more collaborators. At the beginning it was just my fiancée and myself, but now we have six professionals that love the concept and want to become part of everything that will happen in 2020. We are starting to close some collaboration agreements with different networks that will make Dinners That Matter stronger such as, for example, the Rotary Club District. We are also teaming up with the local chapter of the Professional Speakers Association to organize some speech events, similar to TEDx. 2020 will definitely be an exciting year!
Where can this initiative go?
I think we haven't even started to reach anywhere near the potential of this concept. My dream is to grow this first to reach many more restaurants across the city and then extend across Catalunya. Then, to create charters globally, probably starting in the US.
We have to keep the concept simple, but organized, not to lose the power of the exponential growth that together we can generate to support so many needs of today´s society.
People don't meet so often face to face. Technology has driven us apart. Here we get a chance to physically meet at least four times a year, to see old friends. Companies can really give back to society and show corporate responsibility, the restaurants have a new communication channel and can create not just another meal, but a real story to tell, to raise awareness, bringing communities together. So powerful, yet so simple!
Then there are the organizers. I love the idea that anyone getting in contact with Dinners That Matter can organize an event! You can lead it and make it happen! That is when the communication and awareness grow exponentially! How many opportunities are there for people to do that? There really is no limit to what we can all do together.
Do you think all people are naturally generous or just some people?
I think that people do more than they outwardly show. At least here in Catalunya people are very discrete. Yet when there are charitable events such as the La Marató on TV3, people are extremely generous. Sometimes people are simply not aware of the situations that exist right on their doorstep. Over the last three years I have had my eyes opened to drastic situations right here in Barcelona that you would never normally see. If people knew, they would do more. That is our challenge.
If you could put out a giant message in Plaza Catalunya to increase people’s awareness, what would it say?
(Xavier takes his time)
Well here I would have to choose between two messages: “Petits gestos que provoquen grans canvis!” which means “small gestures can provoke great change.”
Or maybe simply: “Join us for dinner—you too can make it happen!”
The details of the next Dinners That Matter charity event on December 12, 2019 can be found at dinnersthatmatter.org. You can also follow Dinners That Matter in social media on Twitter at @DinnersTMatter, Facebook at @dinnersthatmatter and on Instagram at @dinnersthatmatter.