Participate in Chocolate for Congo in Portland in February 2022

I only recent became aware of the campaign, Chocolate for Congo, a month-long benefit for Action Kivu and Eastern Congo Initiative. These are two organizations that work to repair the harm done by years of violence and neglect in Eastern Congo by investing in the women, children and communities in the region. You can read about the Kivu conflict on Wikipedia for more background.

The benefit works like this: you enjoy chocolate at restaurants and bakeries in Portland throughout February and $1 from each dessert will benefit these organizations. You still have about half a month to participate!

Additional Partners

Seattle-based chocolate maker Theo Chocolate is also a partner in this campaign. Historically they have sourced their cacao from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among other regions. They report that in 2020, “all of the 1,500 metric tons of cocoa we purchased came from the community of Watalinga in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.” Additionally, as of this year, “every Theo products directly support the livelihood of over 7,020 cocoa farmers and their 70,200 family members in eastern Congo, enabling them to send their children to school and reinvest in their communities.”

Another organization, The Never Again Coalition, is a main driver in the production of the Chocolate for Congo event. This group “seeks to prevent and end genocide and mass atrocities through awareness, advocacy and partnerships.” One of the regions they focus on is Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Sudan, South Sudan, and with the Rohingya of Burma.

Altogether, this is meaningful stuff. And you can help.

The Restaurants and Bakeries

Some of the chocolate desserts you’ll find around town (clockwise from top left): Dame’s dark chocolate-glazed Torta Caprese; Arden’s S’mores tart; Lazy Susan’s hot cocoa cake; Cafe Olli’s brownie.

Here in Portland (and Newberg), 12 restaurants and bakeries are participating:

Arden—S’mores tart. 417 NW 10th Avenue, Portland
Baker and Spice—Flourless chocolate cakelet. 6330 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland
Cafe Olli—Brownie. 3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland
Canard—Pinenut Buster Parfait. 734 E Burnside Street, Portland
Coquine—Old fashioned chocolate glazed peanut praline doughnut. 6839 SE Belmont Street, Portland
Dame—Dark chocolate-glazed Torta Caprese with peanut crumble and Mascarpone ice cream. 2930 NE Killingsworth Street, Portland
Lazy Susan—Hot cocoa cake: a riff on a tiramisu but with the lady fingers soaked in hot cocoa and rum. 7937 SE Stark Street, Portland
Le Pigeon—Chocolate Passionfruit Monte Cristo with banana mousseline, black sesame ice cream, and Theo chocolate pudding (part of the tasting menu). 738 E Burnside Street, Portland
Ox—Chocolate-olive oil cake, chocolate-flecked rum mascarpone mousse, fudge sauce, and amarena cherries (serves 2). 2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland
Pie Spot—Theo Dark Chocolate Surprise with a chocolate crust, mandarin orange curd, vanilla, topped with more chocolate. 521 NE 24th Avenue and 6935 NE Glisan Street, Portland
Republica—Two chocolate pastries: a hazelnut frangipane pear butter & chocolate ganache tart, and a fudgy chocolate meringue cookie (GF). 721 NW 9th Avenue Suite #175, Portland
Ruddick/Wood—Pots du creme. 720 E 1st Street, Newberg