Dining Out For Life, a Seattle tradition where local restaurants donate 30 percent of their proceeds from one day to Lifelong AIDS Alliance—is one restaurant shy of matching last year’s participation despite a much worse economy.

Already,155 restaurants have signed up to participate in the event on April 30. Lifelong AIDS Alliance is calling on one more restaurant to join in order to match last year’s participation.

"It’s a great testament to Seattle restaurants that we’re only one shy of the commitments we had last year,” said Trevor DeWitt, Lifelong’s community relations coordinator. “We’re incredibly grateful for each restaurant’s participation. If we get 156 or even 157 restaurants, it will just show how resilient Seattle is and how we care for our community.”

Lifelong hopes this year’s Dining Out For Life fundraiser will help make up for recent cuts in government AIDS funding and a decline in individual giving. Last year’s event raised $250,000 to support Lifelong’s critical care services for people living with HIV, AIDS and other chronic illnesses. Lifelong’s counting on this year’s event to be just as great a success.

“We need the community’s support now more than ever,” DeWitt said, “and restaurants that are struggling need our support as well.”

Restaurants already participating in the Ballard area include:

Alexa's Garden Cafe, 9701 15th Ave. N.W., 349-0338

74th Street Ale House, 7401 Greenwood Ave. N., 784-2955

Cafe Vita, 4301 Fremont Ave. N., 632-3535

Hattie's Hat, 5231 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-0175

King's Hardware, 5225 Ballard Ave. N.W., 782-0027

Mae's Phinney Ridge Cafe, 6412 Phinney Ave. N., 782-1222

Ray's Boathouse, 1106 N.W. 70th St., 789-3770

Red Mill Burgers, 312 N. 67th St., 783-6362

Volterra, 5411 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-5100

Any restaurant interested in joining this year’s Dining Our For Life event can contact DeWitt at (206) 957-1638.