Pam Grier and Mondo Guerra Host Subaru's Dining Out for Life

On April 30, you can help fight AIDS, just by eating your vegetables. That's when more than 3,000 restaurants across the U.S. will participate in the 25th Annual Dining Out For Life, a charity fundraiser hosted by Subaru in which they donate a generous portion of the day's proceeds to support their local AIDS service organization. This year's celebrity hosts include "Project Runway All-Stars" winner Mondo Guerra, and actor Pam Grier.

"It's remarkable that this event will be happening in 60 cities and in Canada, and will raise $4 million in one day to support organizations across the country," Grier told EDGE in a recent interview from Boulder, Colorado, where she was promoting the event.

Grier, who is known for her title roles in the films "Foxy Brown" and "Jackie Brown," said that she was compelled as a cancer survivor to help support these types of fundraisers. But she also relayed a personal story of losing her hairstylist to HIV/AIDS in the '80s.

"It was an unknown back then, no one really knew how to deal with it," said Grier. "So he was alone and suffered, despite the fact that he had friends and colleagues."

Stigma continues, said Grier, and it's the community that needs to rise up and conquer it. Many of her friends and peers can't or don't take time to support people living with HIV/AIDS, said Grier, so she does.

"I walk up to tables in restaurants and introduce myself, and inform them of Dining Out for Life," said Grier, speaking of her recent publicity tour for the event. "I think when you let people know that more than 50,000 people receive health insurance, dental care and counseling with the money they're dining from, they might get an extra bottle of wine, or all order dessert, instead of one with four spoons."

Continuing this conversation is important, said Guerra, saying, "The fact is, there isn't a cure yet, so it's important to participate within your community and your own life. You have to be aware of where you're at with HIV; it's important to know your status and get out there and get tested. We have new evolutions in treatments, but it's important to keep this on our radar."

Guerra revealed his HIV-positive status on "Project Runway" five years ago, after allowing HIV to define who he was for such a long time.

"I let go and made that revelation, and the overwhelming support from the community really gave me the strength and responsibility to take that visibility and use it to grow awareness toward the cause," said Guerra. "So when they approached me to host Dining Out for Life, I thought it was a perfect fit. I have life experience as a PLWHA and also as a foodie!"

Grier applauded the program, because Subaru clearly showed where their money was going, whether they dined out or made a donation. Seeing firsthand the actual benefits of their donation makes people more inclined to participate, she said. Grier urged everyone to tell 10 people from their friends, family or work colleagues to support Dining Out for Life.

"You are buying not only dinner for yourself and your friends, but through it, you're supporting someone else's sustenance, medical attention and counseling, all because you chose to have dinner out that day," said Grier.

Regions and cities celebrating on Thursday, April 30 (or another day during the month of April) include Albany, Anchorage, Asheville, Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Birmingham/Mobile, Clearwater, Charleston, Chicago, Columbia, Denver/Boulder, Detroit, El Paso, Fort Collins, Grand Junction, Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kalamazoo, Lake Charles, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, New Haven, New York City, Norfolk, Northern Nevada, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Phoenix/Prescott, Portland, Ore., Providence, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, St. Louis, Tacoma/Olympia, Tampa Bay/Orlando, Tulsa, Vancouver Island and Washington, D.C.

New York City is among the newest locations joining Dining Out For Life this year with beneficiary Bailey House, an organization that provides supportive housing to men, women and children with HIV/AIDS in neighborhoods throughout the city. Other celebrities and spokespeople include Ted Allen, host of Food Network's popular show "Chopped" and chef Daisy Martinez from Food Network's "�Viva Daisy!"