A Pancake Benefit to Raise Funds for Hospital. Perfect.

A headline last week in a publication in the Pacific NW stated, “

“IHOP is giving away free pancakes all day today, and all the restaurant is asking for in return is for customers to think about making a donation to Seattle Children’s Hospital. The free short stack of pancakes will be available to everybody from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Feb. 5 in honor of National Pancake Day. IHOP is hoping customers will return the favor by helping raise $3 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.”

Raising funds for the Children’s Hospital?  I’m all for it.   But via selling pancakes?  Really?

I recall a post I did a while back which featured an article I’d read about a fundraiser for a children’s diabetes organization, which involved buying milkshakes called “Frosties” from a fast food chain in order to raise money.

Connect the dots.

How is promoting product(s) that not only are lacking in any type of nutrition but have been linked to being causal agents in illness in order to raise money for worthy organizations a good idea?

What’s next; selling cigarettes to bring awareness to a lung cancer foundation or whisky to raise funds to an organization set up to help those with cirrhosis?

How about either using healthy, real food (if it has to be food at all) as an incentive to contribute, or things that are not food at all?  A chance to win a grand prize in a raffle, like a trip, maybe or  hey- here’s an idea, just giving for the sake of giving without needing a ‘thing’ in return?