Eat up! On Thursday, April 26, everyone in San Diego will have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS simply by dining out for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner at some of San Diego’s favorite eateries. Because, for the first time, San Diego is joining more than 30 cities throughout the United States and Canada to participate in Dining Out for Life (DOFL), an international campaign that raises more than $2 million each year for HIV/AIDS services and programs.

The concept behind DOFL’s campaign is simple, but effective: Participating establishments donate 25 percent of their food and liquor sales from the day to DOFL, and all funds raised locally stay in San Diego.

This is the first year San Diego will participate in DOFL (see box for a list of participants and locations), and, as of press time, 40 establishments had signed up.

Money raised will go to the San Diego LGBT Community Center’s HIV/AIDS services and programs, including direct health services, as well as support services and prevention efforts targeting youth and Latinos.

Asked why The Center chose this year to get involved, director of development Jennifer Jones says: “Throughout the nation, we continue to face dramatic cuts in government funding for HIV/AIDS services and programs, and [The Center] was looking for ways to diversify our funding. We applied to Dining Out for Life to be the licensed organization in San Diego, and fortunately were chosen. We [also] wanted to have another opportunity for all the people who want to make a difference in the fight against HIV and AIDS to get involved in a fun and easy way. We asked our community for their input on this event, even down to what restaurants they wanted to see involved, and the response has been overwhelming. I think it’s going to be a fun day! We are hearing of hoards of community members who are planning where they are going to go and getting groups of friends and co-workers together to participate.

While The Center has not set a specific goal for the amount of funds it hopes to raise, Jones expects thousands of San Diegans to support the fund raiser. San Diego’s DOFL mentor city, Oakland/East Bay, raised $35,000 in its first year. Last year, in its fourth, it raised $100,000, says Corri Planck, DOFL’s media relations spokesperson.

Currently, according to San Diego HIV Health Services Planning Council, slightly more than 13,000 San Diegans have AIDS, with more than half of them living in Central San Diego.

Despite advancements in education and prevention, misconceptions about the disease still abound. “One misconception,” explains Jones “is that the number of people contracting HIV is declining. It simply isn’t true in communities of color, among women and among young gay men. This event is also another opportunity for us to continue to drive home that in San Diego, a person is diagnosed with AIDS every day.”

An ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia created Dining Out for Life in 1991. ActionAIDS is Philadelphia’s largest AIDS service organization, whose mission statement is that “no one should face AIDS alone.” In 1993, ActionAIDS made DOFL an international event, offering licenses to AIDS service organizations around the country. Today, DOFL’s board is constantly working to expand the number of licenses nationally, as well as to gain sponsorships that benefit the entire country. On average, two to three cities are added each year to the list of participants.

DOFL is unique in that it only allows one license per city and one media market, which protects participating agencies, such as The Center, from event duplication by other organizations. The annual fee for the DOFL license is $600, but aside from this cost, all funds raised at the event stay in participating cities.

Harry Brown has been on the DOFL board of directors for five years and now serves as its vice president. He also chairs the organization’s membership committee.

“I seek out – or they seek me – new AIDS service agencies to obtain a license for DOFL,” Brown says. “Once I can certify that they are an established agency with a mission for AIDS prevention/education or case management, I gather information that will hopefully allow them to pursue a license to host a DOFL event. The first year we mentor them on how to successfully perform an event to raise money for their local agency. We also have an annual conference in a different city each year, inviting member cities to share their experiences, exchange ideas, concepts and promotional materials.”

DOFL’s goal is twofold, Brown says. “The long-term goal is to create enough funding to enable us to find a cure for HIV/AIDS, or to create enough prevention and education so that we no longer have to be in business. The short-term goal is simply to help each interested agency be able to fund their mission.”

More than 40 restaurants are preparing to participate in this year’s inaugural event (see box for a list of participants and locations), including breakfast favorites such as The Mission and Antique Row Café, lunch spots such as Café On Park and Crest Café, and dinner locations including Baja Betty’s, Ole Madrid, and Inn at the Park. But don’t assume that Dining Out for life is all about meals, because late-night cocktail providers are included, too. The Brass Rail, Pecs, Urban Mo’s, and Martinis Above Fourth are just a few spots where you can drop by for your favorite libation and simultaneously donate to DOFL.

Also in the cocktail category is Flicks, whose owner, Nigel Mayer, is going above and beyond the event’s requirements by donating 50 percent of the day’s proceeds to DOFL.

“First off, I think it’s a great idea,” Mayer says. “When I was involved with Ordinary Miracles, we did something very similar for our charity and it was successful. [When I heard about DOFL], I was really touched and very supportive, and that’s why I’m giving 50 percent. I just think it’s a great cause.”

Mayer aims to raise between $1,500 and $2,000 on the day of the event, by putting extra staff on shift and promoting the event the night prior on Flicks’ popular College Night.

“I am proud of all the other businesses taking part,” he adds. “And it’s nice to see The Center doing such an awesome job with promotion and getting materials to the businesses participating.”

Choose to dine at any of the following restaurants and bars, and 25 percent of the bill will benefit HIV/AIDS services at The Center:

Antique Row Café, Bacchus House, Baja Betty’s, Bambu Bistro, Boathouse Restaurant, The Brass Rail Nightclub & Lounge, Brians’ American Eatery, Café 2121, Café Au Lait, Café Eleven, Café on Park, California Cuisine, Caliph Piano Lounge, Crest Café, Crush, DiMille’s Italian Restaurant, Flicks, Gulf Coast Grill, Inn at the Park, Jimmy Carter’s, Kemo Sabe, Lei Back Café, Lei Lounge, Lucky Buck’s, Lumberjack Grille, Martinis Above Fourth, The Mission – Mission Beach, The Mission – North Park, This Mission – SOMA, Olé Madrid, The Other Side Coffee House, Parkhouse Eatery, Pecs Bar, Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant, Redwing Bar & Grill, Saigon on Fifth, Santos Coffee House, St. Tropez Bakery & Bistro, Taste of Italy, Urban Mo’s.

For the most up-to-date list of participating restaurants and addresses, visit www.thecentersd.org or call 619-692-2077

So you’ve got your Dining Out for Life restaurants all picked out; now you’re just curious about how your donated dollars are going to be spent. The answer is: prevention, prevention, prevention! According to Jennifer Jones, director of development for The Center, the majority of funds raised by Dining Out for Life will be used to increase HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in youth and Latino/a communities. The remainder will be used to support existing programming, such as The Center’s successful HIV-counseling services and for those already living with HIV/AIDS. Here’s a quick glimpse of some of the programs and services you will be supporting when you Dine Out for Life.

The Hillcrest Youth Center

The Hillcrest Youth Center is committed to providing a safe, affirming space for GLBTQ youth to be proud of who they are and freedom to discover who they might become. Located in the heart of Hillcrest, The Hillcrest Youth Center offers cyber/computer access, health education, basic financial education, youth leadership training, case management, HIV-prevention education, life skills training workshops, discussion groups, counseling services and amazing social activities. For more information, contact Britton Neubacher at (619) 497-2920, ext.113.

The Youth Housing Project

One of the first projects of its kind in the United States, the Youth Housing Project provides 23 units of affordable, supportive housing for youth between 18-24 years of age, with a special focus on GLBTQ+ youth. These high-risk youth are currently transitioning out of foster care and/or group homes, or living on the streets or in public spaces after having been ejected from their homes because of their sexual orientation.

Know someone who might benefit from this dynamic, groundbreaking project? Questions about eligibility and services may be directed to Dana Toppel (619) 255-7854, ext. 103.

Latino/a services

The Center has been supporting programming within the Latino/a community for years, but the new Latino Services Project has an office, meeting space and drop-in space located at The Center, 3909 Centre St. The program offers support groups and social programming for GLBT Latino/a San Diegans in a safe, affirming environment. For more information, contact Carolina Ramos at (619) 692-2077, ext. 116.

HIV counseling

Being diagnosed with HIV is a significant, life-altering experience. The Center’s Counseling Services are designed to provide HIV/AIDS-infected and -affected clients with free individual, couples, family and group counseling interventions. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call or stop by The Center’s Health Services Building at 2313 El Cajon Blvd or call 619-260-6380. Ready to make a difference?

Send an email to friends, family members and co-workers, encouraging them to Dine Out for Life on Thursday, April 26.

• Throw a dinner party at a Dining Out for Life restaurant and invite your friends to join you.

• Take your co-workers or employees out for a breakfast meeting at a participating location! Order fancy lattes instead of regular coffee.

• Splurge a little while you’re Dining Out for Life – order appetizers and dessert!

• Attend happy hour at a participating bar and buy a round of drinks for your friends and the bartender!

Too busy to go out to eat? Make a donation to Dining Out for Life by visiting www.diningoutforlife.com.

• Or if you really want to make a difference, contact Donnie Luehring at The Center at 619-692-2077, ext. 246. Luehring is in charge of assigning volunteer “ambassadors” to each restaurant to serve as DOFL hosts.

Although ambassador orientations have already taken place for this year, Luehring can update you on how to get more involved or how to become an ambassador next year.

• Most importantly, remember that you have the power to influence the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS in your community by taking advantage of this opportunity.