This Week: Go Out for Dinner to Support Those Living with HIV/AIDS

Doing good by dining out—it’s that simple.

It’s only Tuesday, but because we live in Vancouver (a city spoilt with amazing restaurants), chances are you’ve already dined out at least once this week. And if you haven’t we can bet you’ve already made a Friday night reservation. Well…don’t. This week, treat yourself to dinner on Thursday, March 30 instead, when more than 60 of the city’s best restaurants will be participating in A Loving Spoonful’s 23rd annual Dining Out for Life fundraising event.“It’s really easy for people to participate,” says Lisa Martella, Executive Director of A Loving Spoonful. “All you have to do is go out and eat on that day and 25 percent will go towards A Loving Spoonful”—an organization that provides free, nutritious meals to people in Greater Vancouver living with HIV/AIDS.Enjoy a gooey grilled cheese at Burgoo, smoked duck breast at Forage, bánh mì at The Union or a limited-edition sakura Bismarck doughnut (filled with white chocolate and matcha pastry cream and drizzled with a sakura and strawberry glaze) at Lucky’s. “There’s something for everybody,” says Martella.Patrons also have the option of making an additional donation at each participating restaurant and online. A Loving Spoonful hopes to raise $80,000 this year (to add to the $3.2 million that has been raised within the last two decades—and to the millions more raised throughout North America.) “Dining Out for Life is part of an international body. There are more than 80 cities that participate, specifically helping organizations that are working with individuals or families affected by HIV,” says Martella. “Vancouver was actually one of the first cities to get involved—it’s really exciting to be a part of it for so long.”For more information and to see the full list of participating restaurants, visit diningoutforlife.com.