WILMINGTON — In response to COVID-19, Dining Out For Life International made the decision to cancel its annual fundraising event, scheduled to take place today, April, 30, when area restaurants would have donated 33% of their food sales to help people living with and affected by HIV in the Delaware Valley.

Instead, AIDS Delaware is encouraging participants to support their local restaurants and to Dine In to celebrate what would have been the 30th anniversary of this vital fundraising event and to continue to support those living with HIV.

“As Dining Out For Life is one of our core fundraisers, we could not abandon it altogether,” says John Beckley, Director of Development and Marketing. “This year, we are turning Dining Out For Life into a virtual fundraising event, having our board of directors, staff and friends harness the power of online peer to peer fundraising to raise vital funds to support our clients living with HIV as well as supporting our local restaurants”

Restaurants have been generous in their support of this event over the years, so supporting them is critical at this time.

Consider doing one or more of the following things on Thursday, April 30th to support the restaurant community and AIDS Delaware’s clients through this difficult time:

1. Order takeout and support local restaurants. Normally our participating restaurants would have donated 33% of your food bill on April 30.
2. Make a donation to AIDS Delaware in the amount you would have spent dining out to help us re-coup lost donations. Click here or you can mail to 100 West 10th Street, Suite 315, Wilmington DE 19801.
3. DINE IN and share a virtual meal with friends and family. Have dinner via teleconferencing, post photos of your meal on your social media, and use #DineInEndHIVDE and #DineOnlineEndHIV. Ask your “virtual guests” to donate to AIDS Delaware and support local restaurants.

Visit aidsdelaware.org for more information.