Today is Dining out for Life

[buginme2]

Head out to a participating restaurant and a portion of the proceeds benefit HIV/AIDS organizatiins.

www.diningoutforlife.com

[Matty the Damned]

Because there's nothing more important than allowing rich white liberals to assuage their guilt whilst indulging their gluttony.

MtD

[buginme2]

Because there's nothing more important than allowing rich white liberals to assuage their guilt whilst indulging their gluttony.

MtD

Isnt that what philanthropy means? Money is money.  Who do you expect to fund non profits? The government?

[Matty the Damned]

Isnt that what philanthropy means? Money is money.  Who do you expect to fund non profits? The government?

Sadly, it seems that is precisely what philanthropy has come to mean. Why separating the wealthy from a couple of hundred bucks per well heeled couple has to involve some tacky, truffle oil soaked event emblazoned with corporate logos is a bit beyond me.

And why shouldn't government fund, at least in part, the non profits? If the US is anything like Australia government seems pretty keen to throw public dollars at all manner of non profits -- often "faith based groups".

MtD

[WillyWump]

Why separating the wealthy from a couple of hundred bucks per well heeled couple has to involve some tacky, truffle oil soaked event emblazoned with corporate logos is a bit beyond me.

Whatever it takes.

[Miss Philicia]

And why shouldn't government fund, at least in part, the non profits? If the US is anything like Australia government seems pretty keen to throw public dollars at all manner of non profits -- often "faith based groups".

MtD

My HIV clinic gets both public and private funding, via Ryan White grants, State of PA Dept. of Health as well as the city's own Dept. of Health.  In fact just this week they opened a computer lab aimed at low income patients funded with federal stimulus money, and money from the city.

Also recently voted top fundraising cause by the Philadelphia Gay News (small newspaper) and also benefits from Dining Out for Life which from what I've read is the biggest attended fundraiser by the restaurant industry.  And no, it's not just white people dining out... that would be hard since white people are a minority group demographically here.

Can't speak for other localities, of course.

[buginme2]

And not to poo poo rich white people, but the Gates Foundation (rich white people) spend more money each year on AIDS than many rich governments do.

[Jeff G]

Thank god some one is finally standing up for rich white people , bout time . 

[buginme2]

Hey i'll start singing the virtues of America next.

[Matty the Damned]

Whatever it takes.

Wumpy, the almost revolutionary. I'm a bit disappointed you couldn't crank the dial all the way to 11 with "By Any Means Necessary."

My HIV clinic gets both public and private funding, via Ryan White grants, State of PA Dept. of Health as well as the city's own Dept. of Health.  In fact just this week they opened a computer lab aimed at low income patients funded with federal stimulus money, and money from the city.

Also recently voted top fundraising cause by the Philadelphia Gay News (small newspaper) and also benefits from Dining Out for Life which from what I've read is the biggest attended fundraiser by the restaurant industry.  And no, it's not just white people dining out... that would be hard since white people are a minority group demographically here.

Can't speak for other localities, of course.

And this, children, is why liberals suck. Always prepared to settle for less.

Do-gooder tit wanks like "Dining Out for Life" don't do anything to address the real problems ie the structural inequalities which entrench poverty. They allow those who could to something substantial an easy way out through letting them think they've done their part.

As for computer labs for the povs, I'm presuming the homeless are allowed to sleep under the desks on chillier evenings?

And not to poo poo rich white people, but the Gates Foundation (rich white people) spend more money each year on AIDS than many rich governments do.

Really? Got some numbers for that assertion?

MtD

[Miss Philicia]

There's something very odd about being lectured about race by a citizen of a country that was still kidnapping non-white children up through the 1970's.  How'd that work out for you guys?

[Matty the Damned]

There's something very odd about being lectured about race by a citizen of a country that was still kidnapping non-white children up through the 1970's.  How'd that work out for you guys?

We stopped doing it. These days we just send 'em to gaol.

MtD

[J.R.E.]

The beneficiary of  today's "Dining out, is ASAP.  "Aids Service Association of Pinellas".  And we need all the help we can get in this county:


http://cltampa.com/dailyloaf/archives/2011/04/27/dining-out-for-life-apr-28-eat-out-fight-aids


We had a quite a few participating restaurants

http://www.diningoutforlife.com/tampabay/participating


Yes, we're grateful for their participation, and we sure can use the financial support.



Ray






  

[PozJeepGuy]

Dining out for life is a great way for people to get involved.  My restaurant today participated and it was honestly moving to see how many people in a rural area actually came out and support us.  Personally I saw alot of good in people today and went to show that stigma of HIV is decreasing  more and more with time. 

[tednlou2]

There was a big uproar here a few years ago over this.  The organization wanted the restaurant, Max and Erma's to get involved.  After all, they had participated in just about every other fundraising for every other disease/illness.  They refused to participate with Dine Out For Life, because they didn't want to catch teh AIDS from all the AIDS touching the forks and plates.  They thought every AIDS patient in the tri-state area would be coming to eat there.  It was a huge story on the news here for days.  I think they finally gave in.  I'm not sure why anyone would want to eat there in the first place.  It has now gone out of business--at least here in Louisville.  Maybe Karma is real.

[Buckmark]

Because there's nothing more important than allowing rich white liberals to assuage their guilt whilst indulging their gluttony.

MtD

These types of events seem to me to be a very inefficient way of raising money.  If the people who purchased dinner would instead just donate the entire amount they would havec paid for dinner directly, they would be contributing a lot more money to those charities.  I know not everyone is going to do that, but I wish more people would.  It shouldn't require an event or a quid pro quo for people to give. 

That said, I understand that charities need to find unique ways to coax people into giving, and that every little bit helps.  And publicized events can help to create awareness.  Still, I'm hoping that participants in these events don't feel like this alone constitutes "doing their part".

Regards,

Henry

[tednlou2]

These types of events seem to me to be a very inefficient way of raising money.  If the people who purchased dinner would instead just donate the entire amount they would havec paid for dinner directly, they would be contributing a lot more money to those charities.  I know not everyone is going to do that, but I wish more people would.  It shouldn't require an event or a quid pro quo for people to give. 

That said, I understand that charities need to find unique ways to coax people into giving, and that every little bit helps.  And publicized events can help to create awareness.  Still, I'm hoping that participants in these events don't feel like this alone constitutes "doing their part".

Regards,

Henry

Yeah, it is similar to all the silent auctions or regular auctions charities have.  People enjoy getting something in return for their donations, often times.  Oh, and you have to have a fancy meal, too.  Here in Louisville during Derby, there are a few charity events where A-list and D-list celebrities come the night before Derby.  The celebrities rarely give anything.  In fact, their travel and accomadations are usually paid for to entice them to show up.  One charity came under scrutiny and investigation, because so much of the money went out in overhead.  It was just one big celebrity event and something like only 10% went to the charity.

[WillyWump]

That said, I understand that charities need to find unique ways to coax people into giving, and that every little bit helps. 

Spot on. Perhaps alot of the people who attend Dining for Life wouldn't normally give to an AIDS charity in the traditional means (sending a check for $30, etc...). Not to mention during DFL these restaraunts are collecting donations from patrons who don't care one way or another about AIDS Charities. That's a good thing, and substantial sums of money are raised with these functions

It's similar to the Cookbook sales for our AMG Grants Committee, it's merely another tool to try to drum up donations from people who otherwise may not have donated, or may not have alot of money to donate. People like to "get things" in exchange for their money, even if it's a nominal donation amount, and these nominal amounts add up to big money.

I'm sure all charities would like to have an over abundance of straight conventional donations and not have to utilize these unique avenues of fundraising, but unfortunately this is the real world and that is not always going to happen and the proof is in the pudding these types of events bring in substantial untapped donations.

-Will