Area restaurants will donate proceeds to ASAP on April 26

It's a rare opportunity when you can help a local charity by simply doing something you do every dayâ┚¬â€like eating.

That's why Dining Out For Life works so well, according to Jay Aller, Resource Development Manager with the AIDS Services Association of Pinellas.

â┚¬Å”It's so simple,â┚¬Â Aller said. â┚¬Å”You just go to the restaurant and eatâ┚¬â€and the more you eat the more that gets donated.â┚¬Â

At press time, nearly 40 restaurants in Tampa Bay agreed to donate at least 25% of the money spent at their establishments on Thursday, April 26, to help fun ASAP's programs. Aller said he expects $55,000 can be raised in 2012, even though the economy still hasn't fully rebounded.

Aller admitted that getting restaurants to participate this year has proved challenging.

â┚¬Å”From last year, there are 10 participating restaurants that have closed, three changed hands and five others said no because of the economy,â┚¬Â Aller said. â┚¬Å”But a majority of our restaurants are returning from previous years and we've had a couple of restaurants approach us because they learned about last year's event through word-of-mouth.â┚¬Â

Now in its seventh year in Tampa Bay, Dining Out For Life has steadily grown. While the restaurants donate a percentage of their sales, representatives from area organizations and businesses serve as ambassadors at each of the dining establishments.

â┚¬Å”They are there to welcome patrons, explain the program and to talk about ASAP,â┚¬Â Aller said. â┚¬Å”The community has been incredibly responsive. I've gotten a lot of calls and about a week ago I sent out an email about Dining Out For Life and it was the most opened mailer and most clicked on link out of all of the emails I've sent for ASAP.â┚¬Â

Nationally, Dining Out For Life has raised money for HIV/AIDS programs across North America for 21 years. National spokespeople Ted Allen of Chopped and actress Pam Grier appear on ads in national publications and television networks. Locally, Dining Out For Life Public Service Announcements will run on Bright House Networks, and will feature local chefs who appeared in a recent Watermark shoot.

â┚¬Å”I like to tie our events close to home,â┚¬Â Aller explained. â┚¬Å”That's why when the opportunity presented itself with Watermark, I took advantage of it.â┚¬Â

Five chefs appeared for an April 5 photo shoot at Café Alma in downtown St. Petersburg. (See sidebar). Local filmmaker Jeff Klein of SwellFella Productions shot video of the shoot, which is now running on Bright House Networks.

â┚¬Å”Jeff did such a great job,â┚¬Â Aller said. â┚¬Å”And Holly O'Connor and Miguel Fuller of Play 98.7 FM agreed to do the voiceover. I'm so excited about their participation.â┚¬Â

Klein has made a name for himself locally for his videography. Last summer he recorded an â┚¬Å”It Gets Betterâ┚¬Â video for the Tampa Bay Rays.
In 2011, ASAP provided medical case management to more than 960 clients and conducted 2,042 free HIV tests. Money raised from Dining Out For Life will help keep programs like these moving forward.

â┚¬Å”The money raised helps all of our programs,â┚¬Â Aller said. â┚¬Å”We have clients throughout the Tampa Bay areaâ┚¬â€primarily in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

And while many clients are members of the LGBT community, ASAP also serves a large portion of the community at large, according to Aller.

A majority of ASAP's clients are below the federal poverty level and more than 120 children benefit from a youth program that ensures they have school supplies, care giving support and other basic needs.

Aller said that restaurants and ambassadors can sign up to help with Dining Out For Life up until Wednesday, April 25, by visiting ASAPServices.org/DOFL. Those who are unable volunteer can simply choose a restaurant listed on the site and enjoy a meal.

â┚¬Å”This is the best day of the year to order dessert,â┚¬Â Aller said. â┚¬Å”At conference last year someone said one city mayor made a declaration that calories don't count for Dining Out For Life day.â┚¬Â

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