Newspaper Tree El Paso

May 15, 2008

Dining Out For Life

by Cassandra Yardeni

In 1991, an ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia, PA created a fundraising event called Dining Out For Life. This program began as a local fundraising event that, with the help of several Philadelphia-based restaurants, benefited International AIDS Empowerment. Various restaurants throughout the city donated 25 percent of their earnings on a particular day to the cause.

Two years later, ActionAIDS grew the local fundraiser into an international project, offering licenses to AIDS Service Organizations around the country. Since Dining Out For Life International’s founding, the event has grown throughout North America, reaching over 46 cities, including El Paso.

Today, 19 El Paso area restaurants are participating in the Dining Out For Life initiative and will donate 25 percent of all dining tabs to International AIDS Empowerment, a nonprofit organization providing nutritious food and emergency financial assistance to people living with HIV/AIDS in and around the city.

The local International AIDS Empowerment aids 350 families each week and the participating restaurants contribute to a $3 million-plus donation that the project collects each year.

You can make plans to Dine Out For Life this evening at any of these local restaurants:

Al Zaituna, 4172 N. Mesa St.
915.838.1260
Dinner

Bella Napoli, 6331 N. Mesa St.
915.584.3321
Lunch, Dinner

Fellini Film Café, 220 Cincinnati St.
915.544.5420
Lunch, Dinner

Geske’s Fire Grill, 915.593.3473
1506 Lee Trevino
Dinner

Gidjum’s Sweet, 1429 E. Yandell Dr.
915.531.9076
Lunch

Good Coffee Mexican Restaurant, 1730 Montana Ave.
915.533.1370
Breakfast

Il Posto Italiano, 7130 N. Mesa St.
915.585.2221
Lunch, Dinner

JB’s Café, 5801 N. Mesa St.
581.7999
Dinner

La Posadita, 1017 Delta
915.533.8884
Breakfast, Lunch

Magic Pan, 5034 Doniphan Dr.
915.581.2121
Dinner

Mesa Bistro, 5411 N. Mesa
915.833.5600
Lunch, Dinner

New World Café Reloaded, 1319 Montana Ave.
915.533.4225
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

RIPE, 910 E. Redd Rd.
915.584.7473
Lunch, Dinner

Sam’s Chinese Restaurant, 1001 E. Yandell Dr.
915.577.0961
Lunch, Dinner

San Francisco Oven, 1327 George Dieter
915.629.0990
Lunch, Dinner

San Francisco Oven, 4017 N. Mesa
915.351.9138
Lunch, Dinner

Singapore Café, 4120 N. Mesa
915.533.2889
Dinner

Sushi Express, 5700 N. Mesa
915.581.3841
Lunch

The Table, 300 Cincinnati St.
915.313.9500
Lunch, Dinner