Next year's barbecue.

"Dinner at the Dump food is outstanding," Tivol said, referring to the annual benefit dinner thrown by Specialty Solid Waste & Recycling and the company's Santa Clara headquarters.

But Tivol--executive director of Sunnyvale Community Services--has a reason other than the food to be excited about the dinner. The 675 tickets sold to the event--a massive barbecue feast with games and entertainment--raised funds for three Sunnyvale organizations.

And this year, more than ever, community services needed the money.

"This is the first year that our board allocated the use of reserves because we needed it," Tivol said. "[Community services] has got more people to feed, and there are some companies that used to help us that don't even exist anymore."

Nearly $40,000 was raised at the dinner, which will be split three ways among Sunnyvale Community Services, Sunnyvale Rotary Club and Leadership Sunnyvale.

"We had a great barbecue, and everyone who came seemed to support the three organizations," Tivol said.