SJSD Foundation continues tenderloin challenge for October

By Jazmine Knight

It’s a win-win for hungry people: Eat a tenderloin on Thursday and help pay a local student’s lunch debt.

The rules of the St. Joseph School District’s Tenderloin Challenge are simple. Visit one of 15 participating restaurants for the local favorite sandwich on any Thursday in October and $1 from your meal goes to help eliminate school lunch debt for kids in the St. Joseph School District.

The tradition originated from the Central High School class of 1976 as a way to give back to the community.

“Their funds, they gave them all that year. So they asked us if we would be interested in carrying on this tradition,” said Julie Cobb, executive director of the St. Joseph School District Foundation.

With St. Joseph being the “tenderloin capital of the U.S.” and National School Cafeteria Week being the second week in October, Cobb says it was a natural fit.

“It’s very simple. We partner with most of the original restaurants in town,” Cobb said.

At the end of the month, the SJSD Foundation will collect money from all participating restaurants and announce a total. Cobb said Central’s class of 1976 started the tradition because many of them knew what it was like to struggle financially when they were kids.

“It just really pulled on their heartstrings and resonated with them,” she said.

Whitney Loehnig, co-owner of Adams Bar and Grill, said they’ve been a part of the challenge since its inception.

“Immediately it was like, ‘I don’t need a lot of answers. We are on board.’ I loved the idea of it,” she said.

Adams Bar and Grill has used social media and word of mouth to bring customers in for tenderloins on Thursday.

“We did see an increase in those tenderloin sales that were on those days,” she said.

Many servers make the tenderloin challenge the first thing out of their mouth on Thursdays. They also encourage customers to be creative. At Adams, they serve tenderloin for breakfast, lunch and dinner but there is a huge variety across St. Joseph.

“I love the tenderloin here… I think it’s delicious,” Loehnig said. “But I also know there’s a million other restaurants around town that have a great tenderloin, too.”

She said for the restaurants the challenge is to see how many customers they can get in because, at the end of the day, everyone is in it together. Loehnig added it’s a great way to give back to the community that continues to show its support to local establishments while also helping families in need.

“Those families that are barely missing the cusp, that are still struggling to put that money into a lunch account, they see, ‘Hey, these businesses are out there partnering with our foundation to help us,’” she said.

Last year, the Tenderloin Challenge eliminated debt for 3,776 meals, impacting about 200 families. The foundation raised a little more than $7,000 and hopes to raise at least $10,000 this year.

“It’s so easy that that’s the bottom line is it’s a great way to make a difference,” Cobb said.

Loehnig encourages the community to consider utilizing to-go and call-in orders or even catering tenderloins for workplace or family events.

Businesses participating in the Tenderloin Challenge on Thursdays this month are:

Adams Bar & Grill

B&B Runway Cafe

Betty’s Café

Biggins Sports Barn & Grill

D&G Pub & Grub Brew Haus

First Ward House

Fredrick Inn Steakhouse

Hi-Ho Bar & Grill

Hy-Vee

Jake’s Steakhouse & Sports Bar

Lisa’s Roadside Diner

Norty’s Bar & Grill

Pappy’s Grill & Pub

Pop’s Place Bar And Grill Fredrick Inn Steakhouse

RC’s Lunch Car