On Thursday, April 27, over 60 restaurants will participate in this year’s Dining Out for Life. 

“Now in its 21st year, Dining Out for Life has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the fight against HIV/AIDS in our region,” says Bellamy Crawford, development director at Western North Carolina AIDS Project. “It is the oldest ‘dining out’ fundraiser and the largest fundraiser for HIV/AIDS in our region.”

Bone & Broth, Jettie Rae’s Oyster House and Tastee Diner are among the dozens of participating restaurants that have pledged 20% of sales from breakfast, lunch and/or dinner on the day of the event. Guests who dine out at these establishments are also encouraged to make a donation, either through a QR code or by check. 

“This fundraiser has allowed WNCAP to provide HIV prevention and care to thousands of people and their families across our 18-county service area,” says Crawford. “The event supports our organization’s ability to provide emergency financial assistance to prevent homelessness for our clients, as well as care coordination for complex health conditions many clients experience. It helps fund client transportation to medical appointments, food box deliveries, peer support programming, HIV and hepatitis C testing and condom distribution.”

With a total fundraising goal of $100,000, WNCAP, in partnership with the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association,  hopes to dramatically impact the effectiveness of the organization’s services, as well as help fight the persistent HIV-related stigma contributing to barriers to care.

“We of course want to raise money to be able to continue providing our lifesaving services to those in our community who need them, but the event is also an important way to educate our community about the fact that HIV still exists, and for many who are newly diagnosed, their experience is marked by considerable isolation and loneliness, especially in rural areas, where there is often a shortage of medical professionals able to address the needs of our clients,” explains Crawford.

“The Asheville restaurant community has been so generous over the decades; we can’t thank them enough for all they do to support HIV prevention and care,” adds Peggy Weil, WNCAP’s chief operating officer. “We know they have many great charitable options in our community, and we appreciate that these restaurants and Asheville Independent Restaurant Association continue to choose to support…