Eat Out for a Cause!

If you're a Memphis reader, you definitely have TWO chances to eat out for great causes this week. And if you're a reader who lives elsewhere in the U.S., you may still have TWO great chances to help people and animals while dining out.

Dining Out for Life
Thursday, April 25th is Dining Out for Life, a day that restaurants all over the country elect to donate a portion of their proceeds from that day's sales to organizations that help people living with HIV/AIDS.

If you're in Memphis, you have more than 30 restaurants to choose from. And guess what? One of those is Imagine Vegan Cafe! They're giving 50 percent of their lunch and dinner sales to Friends for Life, a nonprofit that helps people with HIV/AIDS through housing programs, wellness education, a food pantry, and support services. They also provide free HIV tests and prevention services to people all over the region.

If you stop by Imagine Vegan Cafe on Thursday night, I'll be there as the Friends for Life ambassador, meaning I have to go table-to-table to talk to folks about FFL's programs. But there are plenty of other local restaurants to choose from. I posted the entire list on Memphis Gaydar, my LGBT blog for the Memphis Flyer.

If you're not local, that's okay! Plenty of other major cities participate in Dining Out for Life on Thursday. Check out the website to see if there are any participating restaurants in your area.

Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale
Now, for chance #2 to help out while eating out.

Here's a shot from last year's bake sale. And yes, Vaughan is dressed in vegetables.

On Friday, April 26th, Food Awareness, our local veggie club, is hosting our second annual Memphis Vegan Bake Sale in conjunction with the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. We'll be set up outside of Grawemeyer's restaurant at 520 S. Main during the Art Trolley Tour from 6 to 9 p.m.

And all the money from every cupcake, cookie, pie, scone, brownie, or whatever that we sell will be donated to the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County. Last year, we raised $700!

There's a chance we may even have an adorable, adoptable pup from the Humane Society hanging out with us, because who can deny buying a cupcake from an adorable pup?

If you're not in Memphis, check out the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale site to find a sale in your area. They're being held all week all over the world!