San Diegans in support of same-sex marriage need only eat and drink to help further the cause. On Thursday, Aug. 19, five area restaurants will donate 10 percent of their day’s gross profits from customer tabs that include both food and drink to send Anthony White of Immigration Equality and Nadine Jernewall of Marriage Equality California on a sweeping cross-country crusade for equal partnership rights.

The effort, called Dine Out for Equality, has received endorsements so far from The Abbey Café, Crush, California Cuisine, Indulgence Café and Bakery and Hamburger Mary’s. Additionally, the Imperial Court de San Diego donated $1,000 and the Park Manor has pledged $250.

According to White, who is also the general manger at California Cuisine, the eight-day bus trek requires that participants raise a total of at least $1,500 each to cover their expenses. The excursion launches from San Francisco and includes advocacy visits in 14 cities before rolling in to Washington, D.C. on Oct. 11 for a rally on the Capitol steps. The assembly, coordinated by Marriage Equality California, is expected to draw at least 20,000 activists from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

“We will be holding mini rallies and fundraisers in stops along the way as we address various state amendments and initiatives regarding same-sex marriage,” he adds. The itinerary covers such cities as Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

The duo decided in late June that they wanted to represent San Diego in the October bus caravan, thus launching the Dine Out for Equality concept. “We arbitrarily picked the 19th of August to raise funds, figuring that we would get more support from restaurants on a weeknight,” explains White. Yet out of 50 restaurants in metropolitan San Diego that White and Jernewall contacted, only five have initially agreed to participate.

White admits that he was disappointed with the results – especially by those eateries that are gay-owned. He adds, however, “We secured what we could – and we’re moving on from here. A few more restaurants are still in the works.”

A kick-off party for the fundraiser will be held the same day, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at California Cuisine, where White and Jernewall will briefly explain the goals of their journey. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

“Nadine and I are both in bi-national, same-sex relationships, which means that we cannot marry or sponsor the ones we love in order to grant them residency as we could if we were in opposite-sex relationships,” says White. “The trip will allow us to join other activists from across the U.S. to put a face on the issue and explain how the Defense of Marriage Act and other discriminatory laws directly affect our lives.”

For more information, call (619) 291-1230 or visit www.gaylesbiantimes.com for a link to the Dine Out for Equality website.