RI sees increase in HIV/AIDS, ‘Dining out for Life’ to help research

Kelcy Dolan
Posted 4/28/15

This Thursday Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to enjoy a good meal while supporting a great cause as part of AIDS Project RI’s “Dining Out for Life.”

Last year, Rhode Island saw an …

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RI sees increase in HIV/AIDS, ‘Dining out for Life’ to help research

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This Thursday Rhode Islanders will have the opportunity to enjoy a good meal while supporting a great cause as part of AIDS Project RI’s “Dining Out for Life.”

Last year, Rhode Island saw an increase in transmissions from 74 to 98 and the fundraiser will help AIDS Project RI host preventative and testing events to stop the increase of new HIV/AIDS cases.

On Thursday more than 30 restaurants statewide will donate 20 to 50 percent of every check to AIDS Project RI to help fund testing and preventative initiatives for HIV/AIDS.

“Dining Out for Life” is a national event and restaurants across the country will be participating.

AIDS Project RI began over 30 years ago as a service for assisting HIV/AIDS positive individuals who would not be able to receive help or assistance due to the stigma surrounding the disease. Now the organization works case management and testing and prevention initiatives statewide.

HIV/AIDS has made a comeback in some parts of the country. Indiana Governor Mike Pence issued an executive order for a public health emergency in regards to an HIV outbreak. ince mid-Dcember and as of April 17 CNN reported that there has been 128 new HIV cases in Indiana. The state is expecting that number to rise quickly because after infection it takes three months for the transmission to show up in the body. All of the cases have been linked to intravenous drug use, where individuals are sharing contaminated needles.

Stephen Hourahan, executive director of AIDS Project RI, said Rhode Island is not in a position for a similar epidemic because the state already has a needle exchange program that lets injecting drug users to acquire clean and safe hypodermic needles at little to no cost. Although the state may not have to fear a major outbreak, HIV/AIDS is still a concern.

According to Theodore Marak at the Department of Health, there were 98 new cases of HIV in 2014 as compared to 74 in 2013.

The Department of Health said the increase was seen across all variable groups and not specific to anyone risk category.

Hourahan said in his own experience many of the new cases come from the 18 to 30 age group, specifically college students.

He said when many students are tested and receive positive diagnoses they have had the infection for a while and were just “unaware of how HIV is transmitted and the risk factors of having unprotected sex.”

AIDS Project RI has “doubled” their efforts on college campuses and minority in response to help raise awareness and get people tested.

He said people need to practice safe and protected sex as well as get themselves tested so if they are positive they can stop transmissions and get treated.

“We are seeing there isn’t as much fear with HIV, but feel that the stigma especially when dating or looking for healthcare providers is still an issue. This helps people to realize the fight against HIV and AIDS is not over,” Hourahan said.

Even though there was a rise in cases this last year, new cases have been reducing considerably over the past few years. AIDS Project RI hopes to actually reduce the number of new transmissions to zero within the next five years.

“We are committed,” Hourahan said, “through education and awareness we can definitely bring that number to zero.”

To promote awareness and raise funds for preventative programs AIDS Project RI will be participating in “Dining Out for Life.”

Restaurants have been willing to come forward for the fundraiser donating anywhere between 25 and 50 percent of their checks from breakfast lunch and dinner.

“It’s great that these restaurants are coming forward to support their community and their patrons. And hopefully we can get new customers out there to these great places,” Hourahan said.

There will be ambassadors at the majority of restaurants and if there isn’t there will be plenty information for patrons to reference.

For more information visit www.aidsprojectri.org.

Restaurants, food trucks, cafeterias and the like interested in participating should call Julie Casimiro, Development Director for AIDS Project RI, at 519-2289 or email her at Julie@aidsprojectri.

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Currently, 31 restaurants are participating statewide including, Bistro 22, Grille on Main, Tio Mateo’s, Despina’s Café and SpeakEasy, the Carriage Inn and Bravo Wood Fired Pizza, Cafe900, Hose Company #6 and Rasoi, Blaze East Side, CAV, Easy Entertaining, EatDrinkRI’s “Dinner by Dames,” GPub, Gracie’s, India, Kitchen Bar, Los Andes, the Melting Pot, New Rivers, Parkside, Pizzico, Three Sisters and Rosalina, Federal Hill Pizza and Simone’s and the Burrito Company.

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