TAMPA BAY| Dining Out for Life (DOFL) raised over $47,000 for Empath Partners in Care (EPIC) in the organization’s fight against HIV/AIDS during its 14th annual outing in April, the organizations have shared.
Founded in 1991, DOFL is an annual dining event that raises money for community-based organizations serving those impacted by HIV. To raise the funds, establishments donate a portion of their sales on a specific date to local organizations like EPIC.
A record 49 restaurants from Clearwater, Dunedin, Gulfport, St. Petersburg and Tampa participated this year, with two donating 20% of their sales, 39 donating 25%, four donating 35%, three donating 50% and one donating 100%.
“It was a very successful event,” EPIC Special Events Coordinator Molly Robison says, noting that more than $28,000 of the over $47,000 raised came from restaurant sales. Gulfport’s 16 restaurants and bars raised the highest total for city participation with $9,957 and St. Petersburg’s 18 restaurant and bars followed with $9,010.
The Frog Pond Restaurants in Redington and St. Pete Beaches were the largest donor with their combined total and Neptune’s and Pia’s in Gulfport came in at over $2,000. Gulfport’s Salty’s was named “Rookie of the Year” for bringing in over $1,000 as a first-year participant.
Robison adds that an additional $15,500 was raised from donation envelopes, monitored by 2019’s 66 volunteer ambassadors, and $3,500 stemmed from sponsorships. An additional $4,500 came from in-kind sponsorships and gifts and the 14th annual DOFL featured five hosts who sponsored parties of 12 or more diners.
“Thank you to all the restaurants, diners, donors, sponsors and friends of EPIC for supporting this fun community event!” Robison says. “We are excited to announce Dining Out for Life 2020 will be on Thursday, April 23—save the date!”
For more information about EPIC, visit MyEpic.org.
Photo courtesy DOFL.
