This holiday season, your gift can make an impact on a life. Please consider making a donation to the AIDS Council Annual Fund, volunteering or attending an AIDS Council event in 2008. Together we can work towards a world without AIDS.

The AIDS Council of Northeastern New York cared for over 900 people living with HIV and AIDS in 2007. Our case managers worked diligently on behalf of those living with this life-threatening disease and their families. We made sure they received attention and support essential to their survival. Without our services, clients would not achieve success in their HIV treatment, families would have fallen apart from the pressures of living with HIV and many would have failing health outcomes.

Throughout the AIDS Council’s 23 years of service, transportation has been one ongoing, critical need which acts as a vital safety net for clients who have no way to get to medical and social service appointments. This year, our transportation services face a serious challenge. Changes at the federal level regarding the Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act do not allow us to use this grant to provide transportation to non-medical services such as support groups, some case management, legal, social services and social/recreational community events.

Our prevention work saves lives. We are there in the hardest-to-reach communities throughout the region. We provide cutting edge outreach, testing and training to the most at-risk individuals, many of whom don’t have the skills or resources to protect themselves from infection. We are there at homeless shelters and programs for abandoned and disconnected kids, on the street, in the community gathering places, on-line and working with other systems and human service agencies. We help people face the risk and take action.

There has been recent news that the increase in HIV infections in the U.S. may be 50 percent higher than the projected 40,000 per year reported since 2000. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will likely release statistics that HIV infections now appear to be as high as 58,000 to 63,000 in the most recent 12-month period. HIV/AIDS and its negative effects continues on here in Northeastern New York and its impact is still just as profound and devastating as ever.

The Annual Fund provides resources for the AIDS Council’s most pressing needs not covered by other funding sources.

We hope that you will join us today in supporting the AIDS Council’s Annual Fund by your gift of: $65 to provide round trip transportation from a rural community to services in Albany; $100 to purchase five Rapid HIV tests or five food vouchers; or $150 to buy a housing start up kit for a client moving into a new residence. Your contribution ensures that the AIDS Council will continue to offer the highest quality services to its clients and our community.

Every day the AIDS Council makes an impact on the course of HIV/AIDS in our shared region. Please join us in making this difference.

How you can help

December 2007 - Our Brothers’ Keepers Foundation (OBK) has graciously donated $3,500 to the AIDS Council. The money will be used for a client holiday party to be held on December 19th. At the annual celebration the Council will provide food, music, games, activities and transportation to over 100 clients and their families.

OBK is a grassroots organization whose sole purpose is to raise money to support programs that provide a wide range of direct services to persons with HIV/AIDS, their families, and loved ones. www.obkf.org

December 2007 - Over 250 volunteers are needed this holiday season to donate a few hours helping to support people with HIV/AIDS. Help Fight AIDS Through Books and Music, an all-volunteer project for the AIDS Council of Northeastern New York, is looking for individuals, family members, work, school and community groups and organizations to help wrap gifts and sell books at the Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Crossgates Mall and Colonie Center during the holiday season. Many shifts are available. The holiday project will run from December 1 through December 24. For more information or to volunteer, call Steve Kozlowski at 518.482.5602, email steve@helpfightaids.com or visit www.helpfightaids.com.

Help Fight AIDS Through Books and Music helps fight AIDS by raising money to help meet the special needs of people and families impacted by HIV/AIDS and by spreading knowledge about HIV/AIDS.