MILWAUKEE — Good food and a good cause are two things that always bring people together. Vivent Health hopes to accomplish that on Thursday, September 12, with their Dine Out For Life event.
Vivent, which has been battling the HIV epidemic for decades, has partnered with 14 local restaurants, and for one night, a portion of every sale will go to the Vivent Health Food Pantry.
Here are the 14 participating restaurants and bars:
- Amilinda
- Antigua
- Bavette
- Beerline Cafe
- Brass Monkey
- Cubanitas
- Flour Girl & Flame
- Fluid
- La Cage Club
- Mi Casa Su Cafe
- Ono Kine Grindz
- The Pasta Tree Restaurant and Wine Bar
- POP
- Vier North
Amilinda, a Spanish and Portuguese-inspired dinner restaurant participated last year and will do so again in 2024. Gregory León is the owner and executive chef.
"We all need food to survive," León said. "It's a necessity of life."
That necessity is known at Vivent Health. Bill Bearder has been a patient with Vivent Health for over a decade, ever since he learned he was HIV positive.
"It was scary," Bearder said. "I didn't know what to expect, how people would react."
Bill says after coming to Vivent Health, his healthcare experience changed.
"Here, you're a person," Bearder said. "You're more than a client, you're a friend, you're almost family."
Bill is one of the hundreds of people who use the food pantry every month, and he's just one person who'll benefit from Thursday's event.
But Back at Amilinda, León isn't just participating in the fundraiser. He tells TMJ4 he'll benefit too.
Watch: Vivent Health helps support the fight against HIV.
"I'm going to share something with you guys that I haven't really shared before," León told TMJ4 reporter Brendyn Jones. "I am also, HIV positive, I get a lot of my care at Vivent Health."
León says he hasn't always been eager to share his diagnosis, because of the negative stigma around the disease. But, he knows how much visibility and philanthropy can help.
"Every dollar that you donate is helping me," León said. "It allows me to come to work and cook for you and help you celebrate."
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