Dining Out for Life: Restaurants support critical community services
Dining Out For Life: Bay Area restaurants serve up support for nonprofits
Dozens of Bay Area restaurants came together for Dining Out For Life, a one-night-only fundraiser supporting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Project Open Hand.
SAN FRANCISCO - More than 60 restaurants across San Francisco and the East Bay opened their doors Wednesday night to support Dining Out For Life, a fundraiser benefiting local HIV prevention efforts and meal services for vulnerable residents.
The event brought crowds to places like Poesia, an Italian restaurant in the Castro, where the dining room was filled with patrons eager to support a good cause.
Restaurants participating in the one-night-only event donated between 10 and 50 percent of their proceeds to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Project Open Hand.
"The gay community had a healthcare crisis in the 1980s. It’s still not over, and it affects much more than the gay community. It’s still a worldwide pandemic," said Sean Dowdall of San Francisco, who dined at Poesia.
"We love Poesia. To see this is incredible - it means more money is going to social services, and that’s so important," said David Landis, another San Francisco diner.
This year marks the first time that both the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Project Open Hand were named as beneficiaries of the fundraiser.
Funding critical services amid political uncertainty
"At a moment like this, especially in the current political environment, where HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ organizations are under attack and our federal funding is being cut - these funds are critically important," said Tyler TerMeer, PhD, CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
The organization said it has already lost nearly $1 million in direct and indirect federal funds.
"I think it’s a great example of two very important Bay Area organizations coming together to say, ‘We’re in this together as a community.’ We’re supporting the restaurants by bringing people out, and we’re raising money for the people we serve," said Paul Hepfer, CEO of Project Open Hand, which provides meals to seniors and adults with disabilities.
Hepfer noted that food costs have surged by at least 30%, placing additional strain on the nonprofit’s resources.
For some diners, learning that their meal supported a good cause made the experience even more meaningful.
"I didn’t know about it until my friend was visiting and we decided to come to Poesia. Then we found out about the event and thought - we made the right choice coming here," said Rachel Sorensen of San Francisco.
Organizers said they hope to raise $100,000 this year. Poesia’s owner said the restaurant raised $2,000 last year and hopes to exceed that amount this time around.