PHILADELPHIA, PA (January 3, 2011) - ASIAC today announced plans to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with its Fourth Annual Lunar New Year Fundraiser Banquet to be held on Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 6 pm to 10 pm at the Hibachi Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar located at Pier 19, 325 North Columbus Boulevard in Penn's Landing, Philadelphia. Jim Donovan, nine-time Emmy Award-winning consumer reporter for CBS3-On Your Side, is serving as Master of Ceremonies for the night's festivities.

The Banquet will be held in the Ballroom of the Hibachi Japanese Steak House and Sushi Bar which features a panoramic view of the Philadelphia waterfront and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge.  Guests will start with a butler-style cocktail hour with seafood appetizers, followed by a buffet-style dinner with a choice of four entrees and three side dishes, and finish with dessert and coffee or tea.  A cash bar for alcoholic beverages will be available for the duration of the banquet.  In addition, guests can bid on many unique and valuable Silent Auction items, and purchase lottery tickets for several exciting prizes.  All proceeds of the banquet will benefit ASIAC's programs and services.

 "We are delighted to hold our Fourth Annual Lunar New Year Fundraiser Banquet at Hibachi," said Board of Directors member and Banquet organizer Karen Kitagawa-James. "My favorite part about planning our Annual Lunar New Year Fundraiser Banquet is visiting many different restaurants here in Philadelphia, and tasting numerous delicious and memorable dishes.  Our guests will be very pleased with our choice of Hibachi, and I especially want to thank Jim Donovan for taking some of his valuable time to be our Master of Ceremonies."

Tickets for ASIAC's Fourth Annual Lunar New Year Fundraiser Banquet are $75 per person.  A VIP table that seats up to 10 persons is available for $1000.  Sponsorship packages that include tickets to the Banquet are available at the Jade, Pearl, Emerald, Sapphire and Diamond levels.  Also, advertising space is available in different sizes and locations in the Banquet program book.

Current Board of Directors Co-Chair Melissa Frost said, “the Lunar New Year Fundraiser Banquet is our most important fundraising event of the year. We appreciate our many friends and donors who continue to attend our Annual Banquets especially those who provide additional support by purchasing VIP tables, by placing advertising in our program book, or by purchasing sponsorships.  More than ever, ASIAC is being challenged to fulfill its mission in the face of tightened budgets and diminished resources.  I would like to reach out to everyone in our community to join us in celebrating the Year of the Rabbit.  Each dollar we raise will bring us closer to our goal of connecting all Asians & Pacific Islanders in the Philadelphia region to the healthcare and social services they need to pursue self-reliant, fulfilled lives.”

ASIAC, formerly AIDS Services in Asian Communities, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based organization dedicated to assisting low-income and limited English proficient individuals overcome cultural and linguistic barriers to healthcare and social services.  Founded in 1995, ASIAC has over fifteen years of experience connecting its clients to essential HIV services and is a nationally recognized authority on healthcare barriers facing Asian, Pacific Islander and immigrant populations. ASIAC's programs include HIV testing and counseling, medical case management, HIV education and outreach, comprehensive risk counseling, and linguistic services.

For more information about ASIAC's programs and services, or to purchase tickets to the Fourth Annual Lunar New Year Fundraiser Banquet, please call 215-629-2300 Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, or visit www.asiac.org.