An eccentric Chinese billionaire wants to prove that his country’s richest residents aren’t just money-grubbing capitalists — by taking 250 homeless people out to a fancy lunch in Central Park.
Recycling kingpin Chen Guangbiao, who conveyed his plans in a full-page New York Times ad, will bus the “regular guests” of thevagrants next Wednesday from the New York City Rescue Mission to The Loeb Boathouse in Central Park.
He will buy them a three-course meal, personally serenade them with “We Are the World” and give each a parting gift worth $300.
“I want to spread the message . . . that there are good philanthropists in China and not all are crazy spenders on luxury goods,” Chen told the South China Morning Post.
Chen paid as much as $175,000 to put a full-page ad in Monday’s Times. He said his goals were “harmonizing relations between China and the United States” and “restoring the image of China’s wealthy.”
But the homeless recipients of his generosity are more interested in having a meal that won’t bum them out.
They’ll start with an appetizer of sesame-seed-encrusted tuna and Asian vegetable slaw, followed by a main entree of beef filet with horseradish-roasted potatoes.
The meal will be completed with a dessert of seasonal berries with crème fraîche.
“That menu makes my mouth water!” said Franklin Sanchez, 26, who was in line for dinner Wednesday night at the Tribeca shelter. “It all sounds so good, man. Damn.I’m used to cold sandwiches, mostly.”
Wednesday’s dinner menu at the Rescue Mission is plain broiled chicken, rice and vegetables.
“All I know about The Boathouse is it’s gourmet, cream of the crop,” said Rescue Mission diner Tahir Robertson, 30.
“The menu sounds incredible. Shelter food ain’t all that. I can’t complain because when you haven’t had anything to eat in a while, it tastes great. But I haven’t eaten that good in a long time. A meal like that would make a new man out of me.”
And at some point during next Wednesday’s lunch, Chen promised to sing — in English — the 1985 anti-famine anthem, “We Are the World.”
“That’s going to happen, he’s very excited about it,” said Rescue Mission representative Michelle Tolson. “He’s trying to bring people together.”
Chen’s ad also said he would establish a $300 million “US-China philanthropic fund.”
He also ran a picture of himself covered in medals and compared himself to Lei Feng, a war hero from Chinese Communist propaganda who has been held up as a symbol of altruism, and who is likely not a real person.
The good deed got off on the wrong foot Monday, when Chen took out a full-page ad in Monday’s New York Times, that promised to take 1,000 American poor anddestitute” Americans to lunch.
Somehow, the real number of guests got lost in translation.
He’s actually taking 250 homeless to lunch Wednesday, before putting on three more luncheons with 250 guests each, at times and places to be determined, she said.
Most of the homeless who will dine with Chen are in some kind of recovery program, Tolson said.
Once diners complete their program, they’ll get in-kind help from Chen — such as new clothes for a job interview or funding for temporary housing — that could total $300.
The meal won’t be Chen’s last — he also plans other charity dinners, each with 250 homeless people.
Chen said Americans have been opening their wallets to China for years and he wants to repay the favor.
“US philanthropists donated to China’s disasters,” Chen told the South China Morning Post. “Why can’t we help the poor in the US? It will also improve Sino-US ties.”
Chen was moved to help New York’s homeless after earlier this year spotting “Make them Visible” ads, a campaign aimed at reminding New Yorkers of the homeless who are all around town.
“He wanted to do something in New York City for the homeless,” Tolson said.
Chen isn’t shy about seeking attention. He made a very public effort earlier this year to buy the New York Times Co.
And in this ad reaching out to Gotham’s poorest, Chen compared himself to Chinese folk hero Lei Feng.
Lei Feng, a 21-year-old soldier in the People’s Liberation Army who died in 1962, has been portrayed in Communist propaganda and PRC pop culture as the ultimate, selfless servant of China.
“Chen is the renowned environmental entrepreneur who embodies the spirit of Lei Feng,” according to the ad, reportedly designed by Chen himself.
“For many years he has been a leader in recycling, demolition and reuse of waste construction materials.”