FRIENDS WITH CAUSES

Dorothy Lucey, Christine Devine, Wendy Burch, Ana Garcia

Wendy Burch and Alexandra Dwek

Friends with Causes was established by Alexandra Dwek and Sue Cameron in November, 2012 as a charitable giving network of friends in Los Angeles, California. Throughout the year, pot luck dinner parties are given at a private home in place of paying for a restaurant dinner. The monies that would have been given to restaurants are instead presented to the designated local charity of the night. The founder of that charity joins the group for dinner to create a personal experience for the members. Friends with Causes gives to deliberately low-profile, personal, American charities—the unsung heroes who do the work behind-the-scenes, making a difference in people’s everyday lives.

Our first two dinners were a huge success. Respect and Understanding, a small charity in Pasadena founded by Darlene Duncan and her son, Brian, brings live music into senior living facilities. Our second dinner was for The Good News Foundation, founded by Wendy Burch. Local Los Angeles news anchors and reporters identify deserving small charities as they cover Los Angeles, and then they give them money and goods. 

It is really a thrilling and inspirational experience for us in Friends with Causes to help all the local heroes you never hear about.