Drinking is for...Philanthropists?

I wish more people would realize the power of their beer money. On a typical Friday night, bars in Chicago are packed with patrons and lines usually stream out the doors of the more popular venues, with people waiting to get out of the cold or into the air conditioning. A typical bar tab - after a few cocktails and a round of shots for your friends - can easily reach $75 in the city. There is a slight chance that your money was put to good use; maybe you met your future girlfriend/boyfriend, a potential business contact or just had a 'great time'. However, in my experience, I usually just walk away with an increased chance of a bad hangover the next morning, not having met anyone of note and most likely making a net-negative contribution to society. In fact, I have often thought about taking $50 out of the ATM, tossing it on the ground and going home at the start of a night out. At least I'm guaranteed not to drain my bank account (e.g. buying shots not just for my friends, but everyone else's friends too), and I will most likely wake up feeling good the next morning.

If you have had a similar experience, I think I have a solution. We are lucky enough to live in a city that has literally thousands of non-profit organizations that are operated by passionate people supporting worthwhile causes. The majority of these non-profit organizations raise money in a variety of ways - grant writing, private donations, corporate gifts, sponsorship, and of course, events. Almost every night in Chicago, there are multiple events hosted by non-profit organizations at some of the hottest venues in the city.