How A Taste For Life Is Making A Difference, One Meal At A Time

Dine out at participating restaurants on April 16 to support Fife House in Toronto – and help provide supportive housing and services for vulnerable community members and families living with HIV/AIDS…

By Sarah Abdul Hakim Taupan

In a city where the skyline is constantly reaching higher, the ground beneath many Torontonians is crumbling. The housing crisis has become a relentless force in the city, pushing vulnerable populations to the brink. For individuals living with HIV/AIDS, stable housing is critical, as research consistently shows that without a stable place to call home, medication adherence falters, mental health deteriorates, and the risk of transmission rises. In Toronto, where shelter occupancy hovers at a staggering 97 per cent occupancy rate, the intersection of housing and HIV/AIDS care is a crisis within a crisis.

Fife House, a non-profit in Toronto, has been working since 1988 to provide safe, supportive and affordable housing for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Every year, Fife House provides housing for more than 200 individuals and families, and this past year, their support services made a difference for 1,254 people. In addition to housing, they offer a range of support services, including food security, harm reduction, case management, addiction services, personal support work, and more.

Research indicates that 87 per cent of vulnerable community members accessing services through AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) like Fife House struggle to meet their basic needs. In a city where the average rent consumes the majority of a low-income earner’s paycheque, the choice between paying for housing and securing food or medication is a tough reality for many.

Enter A Taste for Life, a unique annual dining event that gives Torontonians – like you and me –the opportunity to support vulnerable members of our communities living with HIV/AIDS and facing housing insecurity. The event began in 1999 as a joint fundraising initiative between Bruce House and the Snowy Owl AIDS Foundation in Ottawa, and has since grown to include other AIDS organizations in multiple cities across Canada. In Toronto, A Taste for Life is organized by Fife House, in partnership with various restaurant partners, and all funds raised locally goes towards Fife House’s programs and services for people and families living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto.

The concept is simple: eat, drink and give back. When you dine at a participating restaurant during the A Taste for Life event on Wednesday, April 16, the restaurant will donate a percentage of your bill, with all funds going directly into Fife House’s housing and community support programs. Fife House has been collaborating on this with numerous Toronto restaurants for more than two decades, and since this event began in 2001, it has raised over $1.5 million for Fife House.

The beauty of A Taste for Life lies in its simplicity. It doesn’t ask for much: just a seat at the table. And we all have to eat, right? So why not make the meal you have go even further by participating in A Taste For Life? If you’re looking to make an even bigger impact or for other ways to participate, you can make a personal donation to Fife House, and invite your networks of friends, family or colleagues to dine out in groups at participating restaurants on the day of the event. It’s a great opportunity to make a difference while having dinner and spending time with people you love and care about. Or, if you’re a restaurant owner or manager, become an A Taste for Life partner by reaching out to Fife House. Every contribution, big or small, helps strengthen the safety net for those who need it most.

As A Taste for Life approaches, check Fife House’s website for participating restaurants, make a reservation, and plan to dine out with your friends and loved ones. When the day comes, do just that: show up for the community. Eat well, drink deeply, and know that your meal is more than a meal on April 16; it’s a part of so much more.

A Taste for Life in support of Fife House in Toronto takes place on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. For more information, visit atasteforlife.org/Toronto.