GREENFIELD — For some, the annual Taste of the Towns Restaurant Raffle is a chance to win hundreds of dollars in local dining, but for the restaurants and organizers behind it, the raffle represents something else — a way for the community to support itself.
Now in its eighth year, the fundraiser spearheaded by the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library is back with two grand-prize packages, each containing nine $75 gift certificates to participating restaurants, for a total value of $675 per package.
This year’s raffle includes longtime participants such as Hope & Olive and Cocina Lupita, as well as first-time participants like Los Tres Hermanos.
For Los Tres Hermanos owner Mayra Escobar, joining the raffle was less about what the restaurant could gain and more about what it could give.
Escobar said she first learned about the fundraiser through her children’s swim coach, who asked if she could help. Translated from Spanish, Escobar shared, “I thought it was a good idea to help the community.”
Los Tres Hermanos is relatively new to the Greenfield business community, but Escobar said supporting local organizations has been important to her since opening the restaurant at 10 Fiske Ave. Her children attend school and participate in activities in the community, including swimming and soccer.
“I always wanted, as much as I can, to support,” she said, adding that she had not spent much time thinking about what the restaurant might receive from participating.
“I never thought about it as a business, like what it’s going to give me,” Escobar continued, “but what I can give.”
Rachel Roberts, a longtime member of the Friends of the Greenfield Public Library, said Los Tres Hermanos’ participation in the raffle “just felt like the right way to welcome another restaurant into our community.”
Cathy Whitely, who recently joined the Friends board, said participating in the restaurant raffle may also encourage people to discover a business they may not have visited before.
“Even without winning the raffle tickets, I feel like it just brings more exposure to the restaurant,” Whitely said.
That relationship between restaurants and the community is part of what has kept the raffle going since it began in 2019. It started on a small scale, but the raffle grew significantly after the Friends began using an online raffle system.
Greenfield Public Library Director Anna Bognolo said the raffle’s appeal comes partly from the fact that it offers something people already enjoy: going out to eat, while supporting a community institution.
“Everyone loves food, right?” Bognolo said.
She also sees the raffle as a reflection of the region’s food culture. Local restaurants, farmers and chefs contribute to a broader community ecosystem, she said, with food serving as a way for people from different backgrounds to come together.
“It’s a wonderful coming together of community,” Bognolo said.
For participating restaurants, the businesses receive exposure to potential new customers, while their contributions through the raffle fundraiser help pay for library programming.
“It helps fundraise for local organizations that need it and reminds people that we exist,” said Hope & Olive owner Jim Zaccara.
During the pandemic, Roberts noted, the Friends purchased the gift cards from restaurants rather than asking businesses to donate them, recognizing that the businesses were struggling financially. That willingness to support local businesses reflects the reciprocal nature of the fundraiser, she said.
“It’s a really nice involvement in a lot of places,” Roberts said. “It supports the whole network.”
The ultimate beneficiary, however, is the library and its patrons.
“It’s a really beneficial institution,” Zaccara said of the Greenfield Public Library. “We have to support it in order to allow it to continue to exist.”
According to Bognolo, the Friends fund library programming that includes activities for children and adults, as well as museum passes and other community offerings. The Friends group’s efforts allow the library to keep those programs free, Roberts added, eliminating income barriers to participation.
“Without the Friends’ fundraising, we wouldn’t be able to do a fraction of what we do here in this library,” Bognolo said.
Raffle tickets are $5 for one, $10 for three or $20 for seven. They can be purchased at the Greenfield Public Library and at several community locations such as Franklin County’s YMCA and the Winter Farmers Market. The list of locations can be found at friendsofgpl.org/fall-raffle-2026.html.
The drawing will take place on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 12:30 p.m. at the library.
