Hi, Asheville. It’s Brook. I love closing out the month of April with Dining Out for Life, the biggest annual fundraiser for Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP), a terrific nonprofit I’ve supported since my days as a volunteer back when I was an undergraduate at UNC Asheville. Since 1986, they have worked to improve the lives of individuals + families affected by HIV + AIDS, while at the same time working to prevent further spread of the disease in our community. In 1991, a volunteer in Philadelphia created Dining Out For Life, and today, it’s carried out annually in more than 55 cities throughout the country + Canada.
While we can’t go out in support of WNCAP this year, the cool news is: we can do it from our homes. This year, the initiative has morphed into Dine in For Life, wherein we order takeout or delivery from participating restaurants (or purchase a gift card) and make a donation directly to WNCAP. Typically, local eateries partner with WNCAP and donate a portion of their overall sales to the org, but because so many restaurants are struggling, this year WNCAP decided to simply ask diners to donate to them directly (though some restaurants, including The Hop, will still donate a part of their total sales).
The economic impact COVID-19 has had on folks living with HIV/AIDS has been significant: the nonprofit says requests for emergency financial assistance + case management services have nearly doubled in the last month, and the org has seen an almost 20% increase in enrollments for its food distribution program, which helps feed food insecure folks.
So this means instead of opening the cupboards and fridge countless times and trying to will a meal into existence, all you have to do is decide what kind of food you’re craving + order it — then make a donation directly to WNCAP. Oh, and DYK Dine In For Life is also holding an online raffle with a $500 cash card? Just donate to them directly or tag them on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Check out the participating restaurants here, and take solace in the fact that when Thursday rolls around, you not only won’t have to worry about cooking, you’ll be supporting local restaurants and a lifesaving nonprofit to boot.
