NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — This week marks the 22nd year local businesses pulled together to help a Nashville service organization. There's still time to be part of this year's effort.
"Hey, how's it goin?" said David Andrews, talking to the next customer in line. "What can I get for you?"
This is the dream for David. His D'Andrew's Bakery and Cafe is busy, a place for him to talk shop to people about the finer things in life.
"It's the mix of the dark chocolate and white chocolate," he told a customer, referring to a cookie on the menu.
The business is truly the culmination of the past 20 years, with him moving to New York, doing culinary school, learning from the best, and opening the bakery.
"We were nominated as a semi-finalist for James Beard Most Outstanding Bakery in America," David said. "They only nominate 20 bakeries in America. We were one of them."
So much good coming to this place makes David want to give back even more.
D'Andrew's Bakery and Cafe is among the more than 30 businesses that took part in the April 8 Dining Out For Life event. It's for Nashville CARES, middle Tennessee's HIV/AIDS service provider.
"Local restaurants give a percentage of their sales to Nashville CARES to fight and end the HIV epidemic in middle Tennessee," David said.
It's not over. Both The Lipstick Lounge and Germantown Pub are doing their Dining Out For Life events on Saturday.
Grabbing a bite at D'Andrews was author John Bridges.
"Nashville, we've had our share of people who have died of AIDS," John said. "Before Nashville CARES, the plague was upon us and we didn't know what to do."
John remembers a very different Nashville from today at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. In the 80s, John began a fundraiser to help people here living with AIDS.
"Actually, people weren't living with it. People were dying of it back then," John said. "In the beginning, gay people wouldn't go to it because they were afraid people would figure out they were gay."
Having seen that history in Nashville, John is proud of David for his giving 100% of what D'Andrew's made April 8 to NashvilleCARES.
"David's a good man," John said.
"I've served on the board of Nashville CARES for three years now," David said. "Nashville CARES means a lot to me. It means a lot to my family. It means a lot to our community. I am honored to write that check at the end of the day."
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
