Pop-up restaurant to launch with all HIV+ staff

Ahead of World AIDS Day on Friday 1st December, a Canadian HIV/AIDS hospital is hosting a pop-up restaurant staffed entirely by people living with HIV.

Casey House are holding June’s HIV+ Eatery in Toronto on November 7th and 8th. It’s part of a campaign called ‘Break Bread, Smash Stigma’, which aims to conquer the misinformed beliefs about the transmission of HIV that are still surprisingly common to this day. In a survey, it was found that only half of Canadians would knowingly share food with or eat food prepared by someone who is HIV+, despite there being no risk whatsoever of the virus being transmitted through these means. 14 HIV+ people will take to the kitchen under the guidance of chef Matt Basile and cook for patrons in the temporary restaurant.

“The stigma around HIV and AIDS is still very real, isolating many patients across the city, the country and the globe,” said Kenneth Poon, Casey House client. “I stand proud to be part of this powerful group of 14 HIV positive chefs to boldly break barriers and end the isolation that I have felt and others continue to feel. Through the compassionate care that I received at Casey House, I made it through those darkest days and I am here today, helping others who are living with HIV/AIDS.”

Casey’s House is Canada’s only stand-alone facility for people living with HIV/AIDS, providing compassionate care and wellbeing services since 1988. If any of our Canadian readers (you never know!) are interested in attending, tickets can be bought from https://www.caseyhouse.com/junes-eatery-2017/.

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