This is Nicole Celeste Piracci (she/her), Deputy Director of Development at The Center, and I am thrilled to share that we are celebrating 20 years of Dining Out For Life® San Diego this year! The 20th Anniversary of this beloved signature event is just two weeks away on Thursday, April 23, and it’s your chance to Dine Out and Give Back to your community!

During DOFLSD, dozens of restaurants, bars, and cafes across San Diego will donate 25% or more of all sales for the day to support The Center’s health and wellness programs, including HIV services and prevention programs. Over 20,000 community members across the county will be dining out for every meal throughout the day, from breakfast to dinner and even into late night, to show up for our community and support these vital services.

Here’s how you can get involved today:

• Be a DOFLSD Ambassador: Volunteer on the event day to spread the word at participating locations, hand out “I Dined!” stickers, and encourage diners to donate. Ambassadors help create the energy and excitement that make this event so special. Training is just one hour, and shifts are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (with the biggest need for the evening). This is a great way to get involved!
• Start a Fundraising With Friends Page: Become a leader in this movement by creating an individual or team fundraising page and rallying your friends, family, and coworkers to contribute. The more we raise, the bigger the impact!
• Refer a Restaurant: Do you know a restaurant that would be a great fit for this fundraising event? We’re still accepting sign-ups. Help us grow our list of participating locations by referring a restaurant or emailing us a recommendation!
• Make your Dining Plans: View our growing list of participating locations throughout San Diego County and make your plans to dine out all day on Thursday, April 23.

This year, our signature fundraising events like Dining Out For Life® San Diego are crucial to keep supporting our vulnerable communities. As we see the impact of federal rollbacks to support for HIV services and LGBTQ-affirming care across the country, we have the power to help sustain this critical work here in San Diego. Our 20th year of DOFLSD is powered by love for our community and a bold commitment to fight for it. This is your opportunity to take part in that inspiring energy and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives as we celebrate 20 years strong.

By simply enjoying breakfast, lunch, or dinner with your colleagues, friends, and family, you can support The Center’s health and wellness programs, including our #BeTheGeneration program to fight, test, treat, protect and empower our community against HIV—all while supporting our local restaurant community.

We can all make an impact by filling San Diego’s restaurants with love, community, and generosity on April 23. I look forward to being in community with many of you to break bread, share stories, and celebrate the spirit of resilience and pride that makes our unique region so special!

In community,

Nicole Celeste Piracci (she/her)
Deputy Director of Development