Cheng County in rural Gansu Province is what is officially designated in China as a "poverty county", an area where residents make less than RMB650 per year. The county's already dire financial situation was worsened by last year's earthquake, which destroyed 11,000 homes and damaged nearly 50,000 more.

Gaining access to credit will go a long way to helping people in the area begin the process of rebuilding their lives and community. To that end, PlaNet Finance China is hosting a fundraiser next month.

All you need to do is come out to Yuanfen New Media Art Space ( 798, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Seven Stars East Street 798 酒仙桥路4号大山子艺术区内,7星东街) on July 9th at 7:30.

The party will feature a buffet courtesy of Mughal's and wine courtesy of the Wine Republic. There will also be a silent auction, and, if the mono tests come back negative, perhaps a kissing booth courtesy of Beijing's most eligible bachelors.

Point is, we are all going to have dinner and drinks on July 9th anyway, so come to this. There is no heavy lifting and when it's over you can pat yourself on the back and be as insufferable as you want about how great you are. It's like preserving an acre of rainforest, saving a whale, and driving a Prius all wrapped up into one evening.

Tickets are for sale at the Bridge Cafe for RMB 150 (or by contacting Kira Dubas kira.dubas@gmail.com or Jonathan Haagen jonathanhaagen@gmail.com ahead of time) or at the door for RMB 200.