TheGulfCafe.com, "Virtually the Best Seafood in the World," Celebrates Grand Opening on Hurricane Katrina Anniversary

New Orleans, LA, August 26, 2010 --(PR.com)-- As the Gulf Coast remembers the devastation of Hurricane Katrina five years ago today, The Gulf Cafe (http://www.thegulfcafe.com) – an online fundraising effort to help those affected by the latest Gulf tragedy, the BP oil spill – will be celebrating its grand opening with a $5.00 Hurricane drink special.

The Gulf Cafe intends to take a more engaging approach to spreading awareness of the effects of the oil spill. Being pegged as “virtually the best seafood in the world,” the online cafe is a “virtual” restaurant that features “pretend” seafood from the Gulf of Mexico. Each visitor to http://www.thegulfcafe.com will be able to choose from a menu of dishes specific to the Gulf region. All proceeds will go to non-profit organizations in the Gulf region that are mitigating environmental damage and assisting those in need.

What is a “virtual” restaurant? Each “order” is a dish specially “prepared” for seafood lovers. Visitors can put together a snack, a meal, or even cater an entire party with choices like shrimp gumbo, oyster po’ boy or crawfish boil. In honor of the 5th anniversary of Katrina, the café is featuring a Hurricane for $5.00 (normally $7.00). Instead of actually eating or drinking, though, visitors will be making donations to a rotating group of Gulf Coast area non-profits through the site and fundraising partner Razoo.com. The minimum donation is $10.

The first non-profit to receive funds is The Greater New Orleans Foundation (http://www.gnof.org). The GNOF is one of the oldest and largest philanthropic organizations in its region, having invested over $100 million in the last 25 years. In response to the oil spill, the GNOF created its Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund to help support critical services for fishermen, like Seedco Financial’s Southeast Fisheries Assistance Center, which has already helped over 400 fishermen and their families.

“Commercial fishermen face unemployment short-term and possibly long-term, which is why the first grant from our Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund went to support a center where fishermen can go for business help,” says Marco Cocito-Monoc, Greater New Orleans Foundation Director of Regional Initiatives.

The Gulf Cafe is the brainchild of Chuck Moran, a web designer, marketing expert and part-time philanthropist based in Charlottesville, Va. He has put together a dedicated group of people from across the country (and one outside of the U.S.) who share a common goal: To raise awareness of the oil spill’s impact on the people, environment and economy in the Gulf region.

“The effects of the spill are so devastating,” said Moran, who owns the eponymous Bald Guy Studio. “I felt I had to do something to help the people, the animals and the environment. This spill truly impacts all of us.”

An “Oil Spill” page with up-to-date news and video on the cleanup and effects of the disaster is included on the web site. Visitors can also interact with The Gulf Cafe staff and community via Facebook (search The Gulf Cafe) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/TheGulfCafe).

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