SVALC NEWS
Taste of Silicon Valley attracts restaurants, foodies in name of fight against AIDS
May 23, 2010
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News
When the Silicon Valley AIDS Leadership Center lost its corporate sponsors last year and was forced to cancel its annual fundraising gala, the nonprofit had to reinvent itself to survive.
Instead of expecting big companies to support its cause this year, the AIDS Leadership Center went to the people. And on Sunday, amid the Circle of Palms in downtown San Jose next to the San Jose Museum of Art, the group held its first Taste of Silicon Valley, an event in which 21 local restaurants, cafes and wineries offered samplings from their menus.
"We thought we'd start small and grow," said Dane Dugan, executive director of the Leadership Center, which raises money for a variety of local AIDS education and research groups. "Luckily, people have responded."
Some 700 people bought all-you-can-taste tickets in advance for $35 each and another 300 or so bought tickets at the event Sunday, which helped Dugan get close to his goal of raising $40,000. Those who attended were treated to gourmet fare including filet mignon sandwiches from Morton's The Steakhouse, spicy gazpacho from the Fairmont Hotel, lentil salad from Morocco's restaurant and red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting from Loves Cupcakes.
The festive event, held under sunny skies with a live band, was a needed respite for the AIDS Leadership Center and other ailing nonprofits it supports.
Last year, after three months of being turned down by corporations to sponsor its annual dinner — many were in the midst of employee layoffs at the time — the event was canceled. So the $200,000 the charity was hoping to raise never materialized.
Dugan was forced to lay off his entire staff of three, move out of his 11th floor suite of offices in the old Bank of America building in downtown San Jose and rent a one-room office on Forest Avenue. The financial pipeline from the AIDS Leadership Center to the other AIDS-related nonprofits nearly dried up.
"It was horrible," Dugan said. "We counted on corporate dollars a lot, and it was gone. We needed to create something that wasn't reliant on sponsorships."
Local eateries were happy to fill in the gap on Sunday and breathe more life into downtown San Jose on a spring afternoon.
Emile's from Second Street brought caramelized onion and pear tarts with blue cheese, and Calvin's World Famous Cheesesteaks from The Alameda brought corned beef and roast beef sandwiches. Blue Fin, just down from HP Pavilion, filled small plates with sushi, edamame and marinated chicken. Loft Bar and Bistro brought Chinese chicken salad, and Greeley's Bakery offered its prized cinnamon bread.
"I think it's wonderful," said Benjamin Meza, 44, from San Jose, who is HIV positive. "It's for charity, and the food is really good. The salmon pâté from Gordon Biersch is excellent."
As people continued to file into the Circle of Palms for a Taste of Silicon Valley, Dugan couldn't help but feel relieved.
"We feel lucky we're still here," he said. "And we attribute that to the support from the community."
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Media Contact:
Julia Prodis Sulek
Mercury News
408-278-3409
jsulek@mercurynews.com
