Maltby's & Oregano's Are in 'Dining Out for Life Silicon Valley'

Dining Out For Life Silicon Valley is Thursday, and two Los Altos restaurants are participating in this major fundraising event for The Health Trust AIDS Services.

The Health Trust's program provides food, housing, case management and job counseling to more than 800 low-income clients with HIV/AIDS, according to a release.

"It's our first time," said James Maltby, owner of . "We're just trying to raise some money for them." 

This year, 44 Silicon Valley restaurants will donate a percentage of their sales to the organization. Fifteen percent of all proceeds that day will benefit the Health Trust's AIDS Services.

Many of these restaurants have been participating in the event for several years, but Maltby's is one a crop of newcomers they are welcoming this year, said Jon Breen, fund development coordinator.

Besides Maltby's the other restaurant participating is located in the Village Court center at North San Antonio Road and El Camino Real.

The event is part of a much larger one, which includes 60 cities in the US and Canada and more than 3,500 participating restaurants. The event was born in 1991 in Philadelphia.

Patty Fisher, director of policy and communications at the Health Trust says that there are many reasons to come out and dine at a participating restaurant but the main reason is to help serve others within the community.

"We are facing funding cuts as all nonprofits are and we really need the community to support our AIDS services," Fisher says. "It's getting harder and harder to depend on government funds."

In 2010, the event raised $48,000 for the organization and in 2011 raised $40,000. The organization hopes to raise $65,000 this year in order to make up for lost funds, Fisher says.

The money raised by the event will go back into the Health Trust's AIDS services, the largest HIV/AIDS program in Silicon Valley, with nearly 1,000 individuals and their families benefiting from it.

In 2011, the Health Trust AIDS Services did the following:

• Provided case management services to 755 people;
• Provided food baskets to 506 people;
• Provided housing assistance to 187 people;
• Provided transportation assistance for 300 people;
• Provided emergency funds to 259 people;
• Received 5,127 visits to its wellness and prevention community center.

Fisher says that there are two ways to support the program:

• Go out and eat at the restaurants.
• Donate. There will be envelopes at each of the participating restaurants that visitors can leave a donation. Donations can also be made here.

Participating restaurants by city

We've included the restaurants in the immediately surrounding cities that are participating, as well.

Los Altos

Cupertino

• Amici's
• Park Place Restaurant

Mountain View

• Amici's
• Fiesta Del Mar
• Fiesta Del Mar Too
• Morocco's
• Vive Sol

Palo Alto

• Celia's
• Cibo
• SliderBar

For more information and the complete list of participants, visit Dining Out for Life Silicon Valley.