3,000 Restaurants Participate in Dining Out for Life

On Thursday, April 24, eat dinner out and help save the world! More than 3,000 restaurants across 60 North American cities will participate in Dining Out For Life, hosted by Subaru. The proceeds will be donated to an AIDS service organization in your city; last year's event raised more than $4.25M in just one day.

"This marks the eighth year that Subaru has played host to Dining Out For Life. We couldn't be prouder to support this worthy event and to help the regional organizations that provide crucial services to so many people affected by HIV/AIDS," said Subaru of America Chief Marketing Officer Dean Evans.

Dining Out For Life began in Philadelphia in 1991 and has since grown into an international event held in cities across North America, raising an average $4 million annually. The idea behind the single-day event is simple and effective: Dine Out, Fight AIDS. Each restaurant donates a percentage of the day's food sales, which goes to local organizations to fund care, prevention, education, testing, counseling and other essential HIV/AIDs services.

It is championed in some places more than others; the event has a big presence in the tiny state of Rhode Island, where 25 restaurants in six cities will participate to help raise proceeds to benefit AIDS Project Rhode Island, which for more than 30 years, has provided HIV/AIDS prevention and education services, as well as assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS.

"We thank our supporters across Rhode Island," said Thomas Bertrand, MPH, AIDS Project Rhode Island executive director. "They are not only raising money but are raising awareness that HIV/AIDS is a threat that touches too many lives in Rhode Island and across the nation, a threat that is easily preventable."

In Rhode Island, NBC 10 anchor Mario Hilario is chairing the event, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

"Marking the 10th anniversary of Dining Out for Life in Rhode Island, I am especially honored to chair this important event that brings about awareness of HIV/AIDS as well as raises funds for HIV testing, education and prevention efforts, and to care for people infected with HIV," said Hilario.

Other cities participating on in Dining Out for Life include Albany, Asheville, Baton Rouge, Birmingham/Mobile, Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Clearwater (Tampa Bay), Columbia, Denver-Boulder, El Paso, Ferndale (Detroit), Fort Collins, Colo., Ft. Lauderdale, Grand Junction, Colo., Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kalamazoo, Kamloops (Canada), Lake Charles, Memphis, Minneapolis, New Haven, Norfolk, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Ore., Providence, Raleigh, Reno, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle, St. Louis, Tacoma, Tulsa, Washington, DC and Victoria, BC. The event is held at several other locations on alternate dates.

For a complete list of restaurants, visit www.diningoutforlife.com and for updates, follow us on Twitter @DineOut4Life and on Facebook.com/DiningOut4Life. For mouth-watering photos, follow Instagram: DiningOut4Life.