Please call your legislator….The AIDS Action Council, the national HIV/AIDS advocacy group, has re-issued its Ryan White Care Act funding alert. Ryan White programs provides essential medical and support services to hundreds of thousands of individuals each year. Current funding is set to expire later this week on, Wednesday, September 30th.
Lawmakers in Washington are scheduled to address Ryan White funding this week. Please Contact your legislators now to express your support for continued funding to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS.
When I think of the millions who died from HIV / AIDS in the 1980s because homosexuality and sex in general were considered taboo and discussing ‘safe sex’ and distributing condoms was deemed controversial – my blood absolutely boils. So many people have died, so many families have suffered, and so many children have been orphaned because of a fear to talk about AIDS. I really can not think of another illness or disease that has so isolated people. Sadly the stigma remains and AIDS still kills. An astounding 7,500 people contract AIDS every day (that’s more than 2.65 million annually).
However, a study in Thailand might be able to shed some light on finding a cure for AIDS. This study (published today) was found to cut the risk of infection by 31 percent. In 9-weeks it will be December 1st, World AIDS Day. How wonderful would it be to really believe that a vaccine to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is in sight?
You can read the report by linking to MSNBC here. Additionally, you can support a local AIDS Service Organization (ASO) by volunteering or donating. I’ve included the link to my favorite, ASO, The AIDS Action Committee of MA.
The Boston Globe has an article in today’s paper, Volunteering your way to a job. Although there is a lot of work to be done when you are first unemployed (i.e. getting your resume in order, applying for unemployment, etc…), if you are organized and efficient, you can conduct an effective job search in just a few hours each week.
When I was laid off in 2001, making myself available and keeping busy was essential. After being unemployed for a couple of months, I realized I needed to shake-up my routine so I turned to the AIDS Action Committee of MA (AAC) to volunteer Tuesday – Friday from 10:00am – 4:00pm in the development office.
I initially approached AAC for selfish reasons as a tech lay-off but my time at this wonderful health and human services non-profit paved the road and redirected me to a career in healthcare. Without realizing it, I was making excellent connections and more importantly, I was re-training myself. Too often people assume learning and career training needs to take place within a classroom, but that is simply not true.
The Boston Globe has an interesting editorial today in support of a bill sponsored by Somerville state senator, Pat Jehlen, which calls for the state to make HIV testing as routine as getting your cholesterol tested.
The writer makes some compelling points such as, “31 percent of those testing positive for the virus become afflicted with full-blown AIDS within two months. This means that for years they have been unknowingly infected, missing out on treatment and likely infecting others.”
Each year on the Tuesday before the Boston Pride Parade an event called Pridelights occurs. It has always been a personal favorite, but this year due to bad weather it had to move in doors to Club Cafe. I had low expectations going into the program, but now that I’ve returned with a bit of a buzz from my two gin and tonics all I can say that the AIDS Action Committee’s event was a total success and more fun than I had bargained for.
It is hard to say how many people came to the program but Club Cafe was overrun. Here are a few photos from the evening’s celebration.
Take a moment and watch this kitschy clip from the AIDS Action Committee Development team. The AIDS Walk is this Sunday, June 7th. Won’t you consider to be a part of this day? Participating increases the number of walkers which in turn raises awareness.
The Walk is the AAC’s largest single fundraiser and in addition to providing headlines it also serves to remind us that there still is no cure for HIV. The money raised from the AIDS walk is considered ‘unrestricted’ which is exceptionally important to social service organization like the AAC, because often they have to do work that is not easy to get funding for and can only be funded through unrestricted dollars.
If you don’t have plans this Sunday, come down to the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade. Join me and 15,000 others – just by showing up you are making a statement and more importantly you are helping to make a difference. Write a check to the AIDS Action Committee (any amount is welcome), put on your sneakers and come down. It is an easy and fun walk that starts at 10:00am.
I’ll be walking with Sergio. You can also send him a donation by linking here.
The Taste of the South End will take place this Tuesday, March 10th at the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) on Tremont Street in the South End. The program includes 40+ restaurants as well as 4-5 wine and beer distributors.
Each year The AIDS Action Committee of MA tweaks this event to make it both more entertaining as well as delicious and when you think about all the incredible restaurants in the neighborhood that participate there really is something for everyone.
You can purchase tickets to the event by visiting the AIDS Action Committee website or by linking here.
There has been so much bad news of late, I wanted to share a story currently on Boston.com and The Boston Globe which is reporting that the founder and owner of Cambridge-based, Intersystems, has made a $100M donation to find a cure for AIDS.
The grant will be paid out over the next 10 years in $10M increments and will be shared with other research facilities, including Harvard and M.I.T., but the majority of the donation will be given to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). To read the full story online link here.
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts (AAC) is a leading AIDS Service Organization (ASO) in the country. Founded by the amazing Larry Kessler in 1983 as one of the nation’s first ASO’s, AAC provides so many services to such a diverse community it is hard for to me imagine what life would be like without this amazing agency. You can read more about AAC and their important work here.
On Saturday, November 1st this great organization will host their biannual event, ARTcetera. In addition to quite possibly being both the most unique and most fun fundraiser this city offers, ARTcetera is significant because it raises approximately $500,000 in discretionary funding for the agency. This money is used by the agency to support programs too cutting edge or risky for Federal or State Government funding.
Started back in 1985 as a response from the Boston Arts Community to the AIDS epidemic this fundraiser has grown in numbers and has become the largest modern art auction in New England. If you have the inclination and would like to have a guaranteed great night out this Saturday, November 1st, consider attending this year’s ARTcetera. Tickets remain available and can be purchased online. Link here to buy your tickets today.
Sunday, June 1st, the AIDS Action Committee of MA will hold the 22nd annual Boston AIDS Walk. The event is extremely important for the agency for several reasons. First, the event raises a significant amount of unrestricted donations that allows the agency to do much needed work that the Federal and State Governements will not fund because they are politically unpopular. Second, by coming together and walking people make a statement and raise awareness.
Consider making a donation to the AIDS Action Committee. Once upon a time, I volunteered and later worked at the agency and I can vouch personally that the organization’s focus on education and prevention are both noble and effective. If you would like to make an online donation, you can link here.
Please call your legislator….The AIDS Action Council, the national HIV/AIDS advocacy group, has re-issued its Ryan White Care Act funding alert. Ryan White programs provides essential medical and support services to hundreds of thousands of individuals each year. Current funding is set to expire later this week on, Wednesday, September 30th. 
BosGuy 