Recently in Charitable Category

Overheard while getting lunch at the sandwich shop the other day: "I'm going to the Green City Market barbecue!"

Why is this significant? One, because if you're a foodlover, the Green City Market Chef's BBQ -- at 6 tonight in Lincoln Park -- is the one local foodie event worth its weight in gold, or Euros, or organic pattypan squash, however you see it. The bucolic setting, the who's who of Chicago chefs, the food and wine, the farmers (who, we might add, are the real rock stars here) ... everyone's drinking the happy juice. This is summer at its best.

Two, because if you did what you were supposed to do and you bought you're tickets in advance (the only possible way to do it), then you are one of the lucky ones.

This particular young, giddy fellow had not planned ahead. But, as luck would have it, he told us he was buddies with someone who works for Beth and Brent Eccles of Green Acres Farm. And as he fretted to his buddy about how he hadn't bought his ticket, his friend told him not to worry - Beth had already saved him a spot, knowing how much he wanted to go.

We, meanwhile, need to finish packing for our vacation to the shores of Michigan, so we'll miss tonight's event. That's right -- we didn't plan well this year, either.

So what is the point of all this, if you are one of the ticketless many? Simple: Mark it on your calendar for next year. (Oh, and if you're on Twitter, follow uber-publicist Ellen Malloy, who will attempt a "video twestival" from tonight's event.)

We hereby declare this the summer of pie.

Hugh Amano, he of the unemployed chef/blogger beat, is organizing a pie-off, fresh on the heels of his first successful potluck with strangers. Exact date and location TBA, but Amano is aiming for a late June lakefront shindig.

In September, we can look forward to the now famous, fifth annual Bucktown Apple Pie Contest, which draws hundreds of spectators.

But perhaps the most visible champion of pies is Hoosier Mama Pie maven Paula Haney. Foodies citywide rejoiced when she finally opened her stand-alone shop at 1618 1/2 W. Chicago in March.

Churning out sweet and savory pies is apparently only part of what Haney does. She gamely participated in our story on having pie for your wedding. And she's going to be a judge at a June 6 pie contest, part of a fundraiser for Blue Sky Inn, a job training program for homeless youths.

We first wrote about Blue Sky Inn's Lisa Thompson in 2007. Back then, she and a few youths worked out of a rented kitchen. They sold their baked goods at a few farmers markets. Some kids worked hard. Some stopped showing up.

The program has since grown -- not by leaps and bounds, mind you, but in the nonprofit world, a little is a lot. A year ago, Thompson opened the Blue Sky Bakery & Café at 4749 N. Albany. She still only works with two to three youths at a time. The disappointments outnumber the success stories. Both of the youths interviewed in our story are still living in shelters; one of them was shot in the leg while leaving a GED class.

Thompson met Haney when both were working out of the rented kitchen. Haney had the overnight shift; Thompson and her crew would come in after her, around 6 a.m.

The two stayed in touch, and now Haney will help out at this fundraiser at Lush, 1257 S. Halsted. In addition to the pie contest, there will be picnic lunches up for auction, made by Charlie Trotter, Rick Bayless, Ina Pinkney and Randy Zweiban; and lots of wine. Admission is $12 the day of -- so even if you've never heard of Blue Sky Inn, well, it's only 12 bucks. And again, we're talking pie.

The backstory is pretty sweet, though, wouldn't you say?

Tuesday's dreary weather hardly makes one yearn for a cool drink, but a deal from Dunkin' Donuts may be too good -- in a couple ways -- to pass up in spite of the not-so-summery weather.

Today Dunkin' Donuts will be selling 16-oz. servings of its iced coffee all day for just 50 cents, with 10 percent of the price going to Homes for Our Troops (HFOT), a national, non-profit organization that builds specially adapted homes for injured veterans.

In 2008, Dunkin' Donuts donated $100,000 to support 10 "Build Brigades," three-day construction blitzes to get a house framed with doors, windows, roof and siding. This year, HFOT expects to hold more than 30 "Build Brigades" throughout the country.

These are tough times for all of us. These days, though you'd like to go out for a nice meal and still give money to a good cause, you can't help but think you could use every penny you can keep in your pockets, so choices have to be made as to where your money will go.

But not on Thursday, April 30, when you can take part in Dining Out For Life, and have some cash go to such a cause just by going out to eat. Now in its 16th year, Dining Out For Life is a charitable event that is held in more than 50 cities across the United States and Canada. On this night, the more than 3,500 restaurants taking part in the event donate a portion of their proceeds to local AIDS service organizations. In Chicago, the beneficiary is AIDSCare Chicago. Last year more than $80,000 was raised in Chicago for AIDSCare. And to think, all you have to do is eat out at one of the participating restaurants. No forms to fill out, no mailing lists to get on, nothing like that.

There are dozens of participating restaurants in Chicago and the suburbs, from Cucina Paradiso in Oak Park to the Signature Room at the 95th in the Hancock building, to Lakeview faves like Cornelia's, Ann Sather's and Angelina, to Andersonville hotspots such as Anteprima, Hamburger Mary's, and La Tache. You can find out more, including the complete lisst of participating restaurants and how you can get involved by volunteering or donating on your own, at Dining Out For Life's Web site.