An open night sky overlooks Woodberry Kitchen as a mass of people listen to a live band playing an acoustic set that sounds similar to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes.

Meanwhile, others crowd around a fire pit, peer at the silent auction goodies and munch on food from the taco table set up toward the side. These people are at an after party held at Woodberry Kitchen for two purposes: good food and raising money to fight AIDS.

Woodberry Kitchen, a restaurant known for its organic, local food, participated in Dining Out For Life—an annual dining fundraising event catered toward raising money for AIDS service organizations.

Through Dining Out For Life, more than 3,000 participating restaurants across the nation raise money by donating a percentage of each customer’s bill for certain AIDS service organizations within different communities.

Baltimore’s Dining Out For Life night was September 19, 2013. Fifty-five restaurants in Baltimore raised money for Moveable Feast, an organization that provides nutritious foods and other services to people with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening conditions.

In Baltimore, the percentage of proceeds donated varies—some restaurants donate 20 percent, others donate 35 percent and some donate 50 percent.

Woodberry Kitchen, which is six years old, has participated in Dining Out For Life for the past five years. In the past, they donated 50 percent of the sales to Moveable Feast. However, this year, they took a different approach.

Out of all the participating restaurants in Baltimore, Woodberry Kitchen uniquely donated 100 percent of its proceeds. One of the managers of Woodberry Kitchen, Jake Slater, said, “This being the fifth year, we decided to go all the way and donate 100 percent of our sales.”

In addition to donating 100 percent of their sales, the staff working on September 19, did so out of a 100 percent volunteer basis.

As a way to say thank you to the staff of Moveable Feast, the participating restaurants, the staff of Woodberry Kitchen and anyone involved in supporting this fundraiser, Woodberry Kitchen held an after party on the Dining Out For Life night.

The after party required a $25 ticket that could be purchased at Woodberry Kitchen any day leading up to Dining Out For Life. There was a live-band, a fire pit, cocktails, a taco table set up and a silent auction.

Sean Waters, the general manager of Artifact—a local coffee shop under the same ownership at Woodberry Kitchen—volunteered to help out with the silent auction at Woodberry Kitchen’s Dining Out For Life after party. Waters said, “In the spirit of giving more and getting bigger and better each year, we wanted to add a couple of fun features. One being the after party itself…and with that hand in hand is the silent auction this year.”

The variety of donations given by the owner of Woodberry Kitchen and local businesses in Baltimore included an autographed Ravens football, a coffee set from Artifact Coffee and a Woodberry Kitchen Wine Basket.

As a result of the dinners served and the after party, over $30,000 was raised at Woodberry Kitchen’s Dining Out For Life.

To learn more about Dining Out For Life, visit: http://www.diningoutforlife.com.