Dine out on Thursday, April 26, 2012 and fight AIDS
BOSTON, April 6, 2012—Since 1990, Dining Out for Life has offered an easy and delicious way to raise money to fund critically-needed services for people with HIV/AIDS. On Thursday, April 26, 2012, participating restaurants around the country will donate a portion of all sales to local AIDS service organizations. This year, more than 250,000 people are expected to dine out in one of the more than 3,000 participating restaurants in 62 cities and raise at least $3 million for 60 AIDS service organizations around the country. Here in Boston, participating restaurants will donate 25 percent of sales of meals to AIDS Action Committee.
“At any given time, AIDS Action is providing services to at least one-in-six of the 18,000 people in Massachusetts living with a diagnosis of HIV,” said Rebecca Haag, President and CEO of AIDS Action. “Money raised from Dining Out For Life helps us connect people with health care, peer support, counseling, housing and fuel assistance, and legal services. Since 1999, our efforts have contributed to the state’s success in reducing new diagnoses of HIV by 54 percent, which will save the state more than $2 billion in health care costs.”
There are four ways restaurant-goers can participate in Dining Out For Life:
- Be a Host. Help fill a restaurant by recruiting 25 to 30 friends, family, and colleagues to dine out and spend the evening greeting them, thanking them for participating, and encouraging them to make a personal donation.
- Captain a Table. Bring a party of 10 or more to one of the participating restaurants and encourage them to make individual donations.
- Spread the Word. "Like" Dining Out For Life on Facebook.com/Dine4LifeBos, follow @Dine4LifeBos on Twitter and use the hashtag #DOFL.
- Dine Out. Make plans to eat out on Thursday, April 26!
"Sixty cities, millions of dollars raised in a single day," says Ted Allen. "Every time I say that, I get goose bumps."
Dining Out For Life is sponsored nationally by Subaru, Cellit, and Open Table. Local sponsors include Eastern Bank and WERS 88.9 FM/wers.org.
Local participating restaurants include 28 Degrees, Asana, Avila, Bambara, Birch Street Bistro, Club Café, Cygnet, Da Vinci, The Fireplace, The Hyde, KO Prime, Picante Mexican Grill, Shanti-Taste of India, Tasca, and Tres Gatos. Visit www.diningoutforlife.com/boston for more information.
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts is the state’s leading provider of prevention and wellness services for people vulnerable to HIV infection. It provides services to one in six people in Massachusetts living with an HIV diagnosis. These services include HIV counseling and testing; needle exchange; mental health counseling; housing assistance; and legal services. AIDS Action works to prevent new HIV infections, support those affected by HIV, and tackle the root causes of HIV/AIDS by educating the public and health professionals about HIV prevention and care; and advocating for fair and effective HIV/AIDS policy at the city, state, and federal levels. Founded in 1983, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts is New England’s first and largest AIDS service organization. Learn more at www.aac.org.
