The 19th Annual Dining Out for Life was a smashing success!

In case you had any doubts, we here at The Damien Center have cause to be grateful every single minute of the day for people, organizations, businesses, and other groups who give so generously to support what we do. So on the heels of one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, Dining Out for Life (the other is the Grande Masquerade), we have a LOT to be thankful for! This year's event is set to exceed both last year's funds raised and this year's goal. Here's who we have to thank:

Let's start with our participating restaurants. An incredible 46 restaurants participated in Dining Out for Life this year and gave us at least 25% of their day's sales on April 25, including seven that gave 50% and one very special eatery that gave 100%! Without the commitment of these 46 amazing dining spots, we truly wouldn't have a Dining Out for Life at all. Already itching for next year's (20th!) annual event? We encourage everyone to continue dining out at these fantastic restaurants all year long to show their owners just how much we appreciate them!

In addition to the contributions made by our participating restaurants, funds and awareness raised by Dining Out for Life also depend on a key group of volunteers. Our volunteer restaurant ambassadors spend their own time at each participating restaurant telling each and every diner about The Damien Center and collecting additional contributions. This year, ambassadors raised more than $23,000, a 32% increase over last year! Ambassadors work hard to share their passion for The Damien Center with diners across Central Indiana during Dining Out for Life, and we thank them for all that they do.

Another portion of funds raised for the event comes from businesses and individuals who support The Damien Center in the form of sponsorships. All those colorful logos you see on our posters and materials? Those are our Dining Out for Life sponsors! These are the businesses you want to support here in Indianapolis. They help us put on this event through their sponsorship, and many help us promote it through various media outlets. Sponsors, you are the tops!

And last but certainly not least, we have YOU to thank, diners! By Dining Out for Life, you're helping us continue to lower our community's HIV viral load and improve the overall health of our community through the services we provide completely free of charge.

We'll be back with another update later this summer, once we have a final fundraising total to announce!