Would your non-profit like to participate in Twelve?

Download the application for the Twelve program.

Chianti Il Ristorante is thrilled to support the Twelve Program, its very own fundraising initiative in support of local non-profit organizations. Since it’s inception in April 2008, Chianti Il Ristorante’s TWELVE program has donated over $50,000 to local non-profit organizations.  We have enjoyed tremendous success through the warmth and generosity of the Saratoga Springs community and the TWELVE program was created to support that community through non-profit fundraising.

The way it works is that a featured organization is reserved one Monday of a particular month and provided promotional flyers and invitation cards to email/print and distribute to their supporters. All flyers brought in by supporters on the organization’s reserved date will be attached to the associated guest check.  The organization will then receive a donation equal to 30% of all food and beverage sales from all guest checks that have attached tickets

The program is named after a rare and beautiful bronze panel from the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican that is on display in the restaurant. The panel is one of three known copies of what was once the twelfth of 16 featured on the Holy Door of the Basilica. In 1949, famous Italian bronze sculptor, Vico Consorti, was commissioned by the Vatican to create these panels, each depicting one of the 16 Lessons of Christ. In September of that year, the Vatican approved each of the castings and the door was installed in St. Peter’s. Not long after its completion, Pope Pius XII realized that the 12th panel was incorrect: in the 12th Lesson there’s a “good thief” on Jesus’ right and a “bad thief” on his left. As the Lesson goes, Christ forgives of the “good thief,” so his head should look toward the right. The panel, however, featured Jesus turning to the left, and thus Consorti remade the panel to be correct.

Ultimately, three copies were cast in error before the Pope ordered the incorrect cast destroyed. From what we know, there is one copy in the Vatican Museum, another with the sculptor’s family, and a third, which has been held in the Zecchini family for many years.

It is from this panel that we drew the inspiration for the naming of the Twelve Program. During all 12 months of the year a different non-profit is featured.

Join us for a wonderful meal—and a great cause!