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Speak Out: Serving those living with illness

Speak Out: Serving those living with illness

By Erin Pulling

Lasagna. It all started with one pan of lasagna, donated by Racines, divvied up into 12 servings, and then delivered to 12 individuals living in Denver and suffering from AIDS. It wasn’t much, but it was a beginning for a group of volunteers calling themselves Project Angel Heart. And it represented hope for those 12 people bravely fighting a disease that seemed unbeatable and, in most cases, fighting that battle alone.

Erin Pulling
Erin Pulling

Twenty-two years later, much has changed in the fight against HIV and AIDS, with more effective drugs and treatments, more resources, a better understanding of what the disease is – and what it isn’t. Yet HIV and AIDS are not gone, and the challenges faced by those with the disease are as real as ever.

Project Angel Heart has also changed – today we serve not only those fighting HIV and AIDS, but also those living with cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, COPD and other life-threatening illnesses. Our meals come not from local restaurants, but from our own kitchen, where professional chefs and volunteers work together to prepare fresh, wholesome meals that are customized to meet the unique nutritional needs of each client. And that roster of 12 clients has grown, as well. Today we serve between 850 to 950 clients each week; a total of more than 2,000 individuals throughout the year!

Despite all of these changes, we’re as committed as ever to making sure that nourishing, life-saving meals are available to people living with HIV and AIDS in the Denver metro area and Colorado Springs. We know our meals make them stronger, better able to respond to medications, and more apt to keep their healthcare appointments. We know our meals result in less stress around meal acquisition and preparation and help them to maintain a healthy weight. We know that our meals matter.

On Thursday, April 25, our community will once again come together for Dining Out for Life, Project Angel Heart’s largest annual fundraising event and a 19-year tradition in the Denver area. Dining Out for Life helps raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, but also helps us secure the financial resources we need to provide high-quality meals to this vulnerable segment of our clients. Nutritious meals aren’t a luxury for those with HIV and AIDS; they’re absolutely critical to their ability to fight infection, boost immunity, and slow progression of the disease.

On this one day, an estimated 80,000 Denver-area diners will join diners in 59 other cities around the country to dine out in support of friends, neighbors, co-workers and even strangers fighting HIV and AIDS. We’re proud to host the single largest Dining Out event in the nation, right here in Denver! With 300 participating restaurants and scores of supporters who make plans to eat out for breakfast, lunch or dinner, we raise significant funds to support our home-delivered meal program.

Your participation matters; to us and to clients like Greg, age 45, who is living with AIDS. “God bless you all for helping so many people in need, like myself,” said Greg. “It takes away my stress and worry about whether or not I will have something to eat. Thanks, and please keep up the good work!”

Please make plans to dine out at one of the 300 generous participating restaurants on Thursday, April 25.

Erin Pulling is President & CEO of Project Angel Heart. For a complete list of restaurants participating in Dining Out for Life, click here.

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