Toronto Bakes for Japan

Almost 40 years ago, two brothers came together to create a comfortable, unpretentious space, where their countrymen and locals could gather and share coffee and a sense of community. Today, Cafe Diplomatico is still a place to find community. This committment to community at every level, from local to global, is what makes them a stellar venue supporter of Toronto Bakes for Japan. We are so pleased to have a space on their gorgeous patio on April 10, from 11:00am-3:00pm and we look forward to seeing you there! Come for the delectable baked goods, stay for the incredibly well made coffee, and the comfortable sense of community that you won’t find anywhere else.

Arshad Merali knows a lot about making people feel comfortable, and about doing the right thing. These two qualities define the experience at Liberty Noodle, our first venue. Arshad and his staff have been incredible supporters of Toronto Bakes for Japan since it’s inception. Voted one of the Best New Restaurants in 2009, the clean modern aesthetic at Liberty Noodle allows for a perfect guest experience that makes food the focus. This makes it the perfect place for a bake sale! We are thrilled to be there on April 10, from 11:00am until 3:00pm. We hope the fantastic products that our partipant bakers are providing will mirror the diversity of the menu at Liberty Noodle with influences from places like India, China and Thailand. More importantly, we know that your presence at the event will further demonstate that Torontonians are committed to making a difference and delivering the same sense of comfort to people in Japan by doing the right thing.

Are you eager to show your support and spread the word on this worthy cause? Then proudly wear the ‘Toronto Bakes for Japan’ badge.

You can download (right-click and save) any of the logos given below and display them on your blog/site/social account and link back to this site or the Facebook event. (You can even change your profile picture to the logo.)

You can also copy the following code and paste it to your widget area to display the badge and link back to the site.

<a href=”http://www.tiffintales.com/bake-for-japan/” title=”Toronto Bakes For Japan”><img src=”http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5550911400_461870d1ab_m.jpg” width=”200″ height=”87″ alt=”Toronto Bakes For Japan” /></a>

A big shout-out to Carrie Bloomfield, who did such a fantastic job on the logo for us. Carrie, you took our idea and made it even better. Thank You!

Sign up and spread the word. April 10 – we hope to see you there!

Nothing says Toronto, quite like the Rivoli. This is why we are so thrilled to have their support as one of our venues on Sunday, April 10. In its 27 years, the Rivoli has become a Queen West institution. How could it not, with its busy restaurant, the wonderfully intimate Side Bar, gorgeously vintage Pool Hall upstairs, and the perfect people watching Patio (which is where you’ll find us and all our delectable baked goods from 11 am to 3 pm!). The programming has changed from vaudeville and burlesque at the original Rivoli theatre in the ‘20’s, to the ‘80’s black clad Queen West scene, and a stellar line up of talented Canadian and International artists, who grace the space today. Through it all, the Rivoli has maintained a wonderfully casual and welcoming attitude that make it definitive as a venue. We thank them for their generosity and urge you to join the party. Invite everyone!

Toronto Bakes for Japan is proud to support the Japanese Red Cross Society. 100% of all proceeds from this initiative will be donated directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

From their website: “All the fund received under this account will be transferred to the Distribution Committee, which is formed around the local government of the disaster-affected prefecture and to be distributed directly among the affected population of earthquake and tsunami.”

We deeply respect the Red Cross for its values and humanitarian efforts around the world. The Japanese Red Cross Society has over 60 medical teams on the ground in the affected areas and they are providing first aid and emergency medical assistance, essential relief items and assisting in evacuations and search and rescue operations. Check out this video of an interview with Japanese Red Cross spokesperson, Sayaka Matsumoto giving an inside look into their relief efforts.

From our end, we want to keep the process as transparent as possible. We will be publishing the total amount collected from this initiative and also uploading a receipt from the Japanese Red Cross Society after we have transferred the funds.

We hope you will support us whole-heartedly in this endeavor.

Please use our Contact page or email us at torontobakesforjapan@gmail.com and tell us how you would like to help.

Many of you have asked this question and it is extremely valid. In fact, it is the most important question out there, which is why we are taking the time to make an informed decision.

I can tell you this – 100% of all proceeds will go to a registered charity. We just want to get information on the relief work they are doing on the ground. We want to make sure that your effort and money are directed to the right place.

As soon as we come to a decision, we will post it on the site. In the meanwhile, you can join the discussion on our Facebook page, or leave your comments here.

We have our first venue! Liberty Noodle at Liberty Village, Toronto has very kindly agreed to donate their space for our event on Sunday, April 10, 2011. We are grateful to Arshad at Liberty Noodle for his generosity and to Sang Kim for making it happen.

We are hoping to add more venues across Toronto to the list. As we said, we want to make this BIG! So if you have any pointers or would like to help us with a venue, please use our Contact page to get in touch or drop us an email at torontobakesforjapan@gmail.com.

I’m so touched and honored by your response to this initiative. My mailbox was flooded today morning. It has only been a day and already we have a host of talented people on board willing to help us. These include food bloggers like Mardi at Eat, Live, Travel, Write, Isabelle at Good Food, Good Wine and a Bad Girl, Beverley at Potato Chops and Boneless Chicken, Suzanne Ellis at Plum Tart to name a few. Dana McCauley, Culinary Director at Janes Family Foods and Sang Kim, writer and restaurateur have also joined our amazing list of people. Professional bakers like Rossana, local winery owner Krystina and small business owners like Carolina are also extending their support.

We are at the threshold of doing something extraordinary here but there are still miles to go. We sincerely hope you can join us.

Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. (Howard Zinn)

What: A simple concept – a bake sale to raise money for Japan.

When & Where:

Saturday, April 9, 2011, 9 am to 1 pm (New!)

• Farmers’ Market at Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Ave, Toronto

Sunday, April 10, 2011, 11 am to 3 pm

• Liberty Noodle, 171 East Liberty St, Toronto
• The Rivoli, 334 Queen St W, Toronto
• Cafe Diplomatico, 594 College Street, Toronto
• Amaranto Café,  809 St. Clair Ave W, Toronto (New!)
  

Sunday, April 10, 2011, 10 am to 5 pm

• Yoshi’s Sweets, 2359 Queen St E, Toronto (donating 100% of the day’s sales)

Who: Kind and committed people from across Toronto coming together and using their talents for a great cause.

To Whom: 100% of all proceeds from this initiative will be donated directly to the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Why: Because we can; we must.
I woke up on a day that appeared to be like any other. I remember I was out of milk and could not find my keys anywhere, and this was really ruining my morning. Distracted, I turned on the television and then stood dumbstruck for the next ten minutes as visions of horror unfurled on the screen. Japan had been hit by a massive 8.9 earthquake. Over the next few days, I watched as the country was hit by one disaster after another. My heart broke a little each time I saw the images of death and destruction, of kids being scanned for signs of radiation, of rescue workers searching for the bodies of victims, of survivors trying desperately to find their loved ones. I sent up a silent prayer each time, but I wanted to do more. And then I read about the The Great Kiwi Bake-Off, which raised $16,420 for clean-up in the Christchurch earthquake and Samin’s BakeSale project, which raised $23,000 for Haiti last year! I bake almost every week, and I know so do hundreds of passionate food lovers all over Toronto. If we all put our efforts together, can we make a difference? I really believe we can.

How: Right now, this event is just an idea, words on a page. I am going to do everything I can to make it a reality. But I can’t do it alone. I need your help This event is no longer just an idea; many kind and generous people are helping us make it a reality. But we still need your help – all you talented bakers, artists, event organizers, collaborators, volunteers and potential customers out there.

1. If you want to participate, use the Contact page or drop an email to torontobakesforjapan@gmail.com and tell us how you would like to help. The sooner, the better because the event is only 3 weeks away. Many thanks!
2. RSVP: You can RSVP to the event on Facebook.
3. Spread the word: Today, if videos of funny cats can go viral, why not word of a good cause? Share the link with anyone you think would like to help. We can use all the hands we can get.
4. Check this site or Facebook or Twitter (hashtag #BakeForJapan) for more details.