The Michael Doss First Annual Birthday Charity Dinner will be held April 20th at 6 PM at a location in Fountain Valley, CA. The event is open to friends, family and acquaintances of Michael Doss or his friends and family. Anyone wishing to attend who has not already received an invitation can email me for more information.

Typically for birthday celebrations, my friends and I go out to a nice dinner and some sort of entertainment afterwards. It's always fun, and somewhat costly (usually $40-$70 per person for the evening), though cost tends not to be an issue where the birthday person's events are concerned. While deciding what to do for my birthday this year, I realized how lucky we all are to be able to go out, have fun, and eat what we like, never going hungry and never having to think about where our next meal will be coming from. I decided it'd be a nice change to host a charity dinner, where attendees could give the cost of a night out to charity and still enjoy a fine dinner and entertainment.

Donations are voluntary, and there is no minimum or maximum amounts. Our donation guideline is to "give what you'd expect to spend for an evening out". Instead of having one charity to give to, attendees (as well as anyone else willing to donate who can not/will not attend) will have the choice to give to one of three highlighted charities, or the charity of their choice. Those charities are:

Doctors Without Borders - Médecins Sans Frontières (also known as Doctors Without Borders or MSF) delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict, epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and to others who lack health care due to social or geographical isolation. MSF was founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors who believed that all people have the right to medical care and that the needs of these people supersede respect for national borders. It was the first non-governmental organization to both provide emergency medical assistance and publicly bear witness to the plight of the populations they served.

Zero Population Growth - Zero Population Growth is a national nonprofit organization working to slow population growth and achieve a sustainable balance between the Earth's people and its resources. We seek to protect the environment and ensure a high quality of life for present and future generations. ZPG's education and advocacy programs aim to influence public policies, attitudes, and behavior on national and global population issues and related concerns.

America's Second Harvest - America's Second Harvest is the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization. Through a network of over 200 food banks and food-rescue programs, we distribute food to 26 million hungry Americans each year, eight million of whom are children. Last year, America's Second Harvest distributed 1.7 billion pounds of food to needy Americans, serving all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Their goal is to end hunger in America.

If you're unable to attend, but would still like to give, feel free to contact each of the charities and donate on your own. If you'd like your donation to reflect on our tally, email me with your name and the amount. The amount of your donation will not be made public unless you request to have it so.

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Dinner and entertainment for the evening will be provided by Michael Doss and guests who choose to bring sides, appetizers, and desserts, and drinks. No dish or bottle is required, though guests are welcome to bring what they'd like. The following is the current menu. If you have something you'd like to add, email me to add it to this list so others know what they should and shouldn't bring.

Appetizers
Mozzarella sticks

Main Dishes
Pasta (vermicelli, penne, and fettuccini)
Sauces (homemade tomato, pesto, cream, tomato meat)


Sides
Garden salad
Caesar salad (provided by Garrett)
Garlic/Cheese bread


Desserts
Brownies (provided by Gary)
Something delicious (provided by April)


Beverages
Full bar
Sodas
Juices
Coffee

Since this is a birthday event, presents are welcome but not required. I ask that if you're bringing a gift, spend half as much as you would have otherwise, and give the remainder to the charity of your choice. I look forward to seeing all of you on the 20th!