Even with everything else that has been happening over the past couple of years, it should not be forgotten that our community has been affected by another epidemic for decades: HIV/AIDS. Nashville CARES is a local organization that supports Nashvillians affected by HIV and AIDS through services, resources and referrals. Currently working with more than 5,000 local clients, Nashville CARES has literally been a lifeline since 1985.
The organization’s big fundraiser Dining Out for Life is coming up on Tuesday, May 17, and it’s a chance for you to help support their noble works by eating at some of your favorite restaurants that will donate a portion of your bill to CARES. Already hampered by two years of COVID-affected fundraising issues, Nashville CARES and its event also face the new reality that not every restaurant is open on Tuesdays, a relatively new development as businesses struggle to adjust their schedules to staffing and diner demands.
To help overcome that, some restaurants are shifting their participation dates to be able to pitch in even if they can’t on May 17. That just increases your opportunities to be a part of the fundraiser. For example, Avo will donate 30 percent of their proceeds on May 18, including alcohol sales, carryout and delivery. Margot Cafe & Bar will also participate on the 18th at the 50-percent level, and Babo Korean Bar has chosen May 21 as their participation date.
The Mockingbird and Tànsuŏ will each donate 30 percent of their sales on May 22, and The Lipstick Lounge will kick off Dining Out for Life a little early on May 14 at an amazing 100 percent donation level!
To help you plan your Dining Out for Life Strategy a little more effectively, organizers have created a sortable list of participating restaurants. You can tweak the filters to discover who is serving which meals so that you can maximize your participation with breakfast, lunch and dinner on May 17. Or you can sort them by the percentage that restaurants are donating.
For example, The Lipstick Lounge is joined by D’ Andrews Bakery and Cafe and Fenwick’s 300 at the 100 percent level, while Fleet Street Pub, Kalamata’s Green Hills, Lola, Epice and Santo will give 75 percent of the day’s proceeds to CARES. No matter what level of donation each restaurant is giving, they are all generously taking part in an important fundraiser for a critical cause.
Now all you have to do is go out to eat and be a part of the solution!
