Happy Holidays from the AIDS Council
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.