Dining Out for Life Event Thursday to Benefit HIV/AIDS Services in Grand Rapids 

By Paul R. Kopenkoskey, The Grand Rapids Press

April 27, 2009

United States

More than a dozen local eateries will give diners an opportunity Thursday to fight the spread of HIV and AIDS.

"All we're asking people to do is eat out," said Jennifer Marcum, executive director of HIV/AIDS Services Inc. of Grand Rapids. "It's the most painless form of HIV prevention you can have."

Dining Out for Life is a one-day benefit launched 18 years ago by an ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia that has mushroomed to 3,500 restaurants in 55 cities, including Grand Rapids. Last year, eateries donated more than $3.9 million nationwide to AIDS service providers.

Of that amount, $16,000 was distributed locally.. This year's goal is to nearly double that amount to $30,000, Marcum said.

Since 1998, the nonprofit has worked to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS through education, advocacy and by encouraging drug abusers not to share needles or syringes.

IF YOU GO 

Dining Out for Life

What: A fundraiser to educate and prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS.

When: Thursday

Where: Area restaurants. Visit diningoutforlife/grandrapids.com for a list of the ones participating and to call and confirm if reservations are needed.

More: Local proceeds will benefit HIV/AIDS Services Inc. of Grand Rapids.

Most restaurants are donating 30 percent of Thursday's proceeds to the grand Rapids service. Check diningoutforlife.com/grandrapids for a list of participating eateries and see if reservations are needed. A variety of restaurants were selected to satisfy many tastes, Marcum said.

"We wanted a lot of different neighborhoods and ethic groups represented."

More than 1,000 Grand Rapids residents are infected with HIV or AIDS, she said. The fastest emerging carriers are people age 50 and older, who make up about 10 to 15 percent of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, according to the University of New Mexico School of Medicine's AIDS InfoNet.

The rates of HIV/AIDS among older people are 12 times higher for blacks and five times higher for Hispanics compared to whites, according to AIDS InfoNet.

HIV and AIDS spans all ages, races, sexual orientation and gender, but certain prescription drugs may be contributing to increased rates of sexual activity and sexually transmitted diseases among older people who may not be protecting themselves from HIV transmission.

"People are having more than one sexual partner later in life," Marcum said.

"We want to get the word out, especially with the emergence of products like Viagra, people having sex later in life maybe, with multiple partners, and don't know, or aren't aware, about the risk of HIV. We have growing HIV cases, and that should not be the case." 

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