Special Delivery San Diego’s annual barbecue fundraiser relocates to Rich’s

Dave Fidlin | Uptown News

An annual event aimed at putting the spotlight on a nonprofit that gives away “love in a bag” is returning to Hillcrest this month.

But there are a few tweaks in this year’s barbecue fundraiser that benefits Special Delivery San Diego, a Mission Hills organization that currently provides nutritious, fresh-made meals to more than 130 homebound people living with HIV and AIDS. According to its website, the organization serves about 300 meals every day.

While the fundraiser still coincides with San Diego Pride festivities the weekend of July 18, the event has a new location and an expanded itinerary.

The barbecue — Special Delivery’s sole large-scale fundraiser each year — is taking place at Rich’s San Diego in Hillcrest, rather than its usual spot at Top of the Park in Bankers Hill. The event also is being held during a two-day stretch, instead of just one fell swoop.

Special Delivery spokeswoman Melanie Peters said the change in venue was driven primarily on changes at Top of the Park, which closed late last year. The barbecue, which has taken place for nearly two decades, had been at Top of the Park from the beginning.

While property owner Wyndham Vacation Ownership’s decision to shutter Top of the Park left a number of organizations scrambling, Peters said there is a silver lining behind the new partnership with Rich’s.

“The barbecue is going to be located right along the [Pride] parade route,” Peters said. “We can be open and have the barbecue right while everything is going on. I think this will make the fundraiser much more of an interactive event.”

With this year’s fundraiser held right in the heart of Pride festivities, Peters and others with Special Delivery are hoping to raise awareness of the organization and its mission statement.

Special Delivery is the brainchild of Mission Hills restaurateur Ruth Henricks. She founded the organization in 1991 after a loyal customer, Scott, stopped showing up for his usual breakfasts at The Huddle. Scott was weak from complications related to HIV/AIDS and could not cook his own meals.

Today, Special Delivery prepares regular meals for more than 130 qualifying people who have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS and have incurred other complications that have resulted in a homebound lifestyle.

Recipients are served by Special Delivery after a medical provider documents his or her condition as being significant enough to qualify for the meals, which are delivered at no cost.

While Special Delivery has expanded its recipient base in its more than two decades of existence, the organization’s largely grassroots spirit has held true. As was the case from the beginning, Henricks and others behind the effort say 91 cents of every dollar donated goes directly toward the meals.

“It’s amazing how orderly everything is,” Peters said of Special Delivery’s storage and assembly facility at 4021 Goldfinch St., adjacent to The Huddle. “It’s almost like this is a big business, but it’s being run by volunteers.”

In fact, Special Delivery is a completely volunteer-driven organization. No one draws a salary for purchasing, cooking, preparing or delivering the meals. Corporate sponsorships from a number of local businesses have made the effort move along seamlessly over the years.

While this year’s barbecue serves primarily as an awareness campaign to raise $15,000 to fund operations, a call also is going out to drastically increase the organization’s number of active volunteers.

Special Delivery has about 20 active volunteers at the moment, but Peters said about 70 more are needed to keep the true grassroots spirit alive and ensure the recipients are given the opportunity to receive meals on a regular basis.

“Some of the volunteers have been there since day one,” Peters said. “This truly is an organized situation.”

Early on, Special Delivery has undertaken some unique, personalized approaches to its operations plan. For example, it is one of just two organizations across the country that prepares special meals for people who are diabetic and have other conditions.

“That’s important because a lot of [HIV/AIDS] patients do have special dietary needs,” Peters said. “There are other organizations out there doing this, but they’re not taking care of that part of it.”

The barbecue event has long been an opportunity to have fun while supporting a serious cause. This year’s program is no exception.

Purple Light Vacations is a gold sponsor of this year’s program and has donated $1,000 in cash and additional prizes for an assortment of festivities. The company is offering several items, including a cruise and an iPad Mini.

Supporters attending the barbecue will have an opportunity to spin Purple Light’s prize wheel and have a crack at winning the items. Purple Light also will have its prize wheel at the Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., on Thursday, July 17. Proceeds from that wheel spin also will benefit Special Delivery.