For coverage on the 2008 International AIDS Conference held in Mexico City, 
- A Letter from David Richart, Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s Executive Director
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A Letter from David Richart, Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s Executive Director
Greetings Friends and Supporters of Lifelong AIDS Alliance,
Last month, I had the distinct honor of attending a milestone event in the HIV/AIDS community. I met with seven other Executive Directors from the country’s largest AIDS Service Organizations to discuss policies in Washington D.C. This meeting marked the first time in 20 years that the Executive Directors came together to advocate at our nation’s capitol. The organizations represented serve an estimated 300,000+ individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, which is almost a third of the estimated total cases in the country. The organizations also have a combined budget of over 300 million dollars.
At this meeting, we discussed various policies related to living with HIV/AIDS and how we plan to take action on a national level. Among our biggest accomplishments over the course of the week was an agreement to advocate for the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, which was scheduled to sunset in September 2009. The Act provides needed medical care and support for individuals who meet the national poverty guidelines. As a result of our advocacy efforts, we created a momentum of support with many of our elected officials also in favor of reauthorizing the Act.
As we prepare as a nation for a new president, I am pleased to report both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton agreed that initializing a National AIDS Strategy is of the utmost importance and must be done as soon as possible. We are also reaching out to Senator McCain in an attempt to gain his endorsement of the National AIDS Strategy.
There have also been important changes locally during the last few months. Lifelong proudly expanded into new territories and is thrilled at the success of this expansion. In Snohomish County, our new facility serves over 150 clients with case management and Chicken Soup Brigade. Additionally, we have over 50 clients at each of our Kitsap and Pierce county facilities, which are providing nutritious food and groceries to those with HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses. Lifelong is also excited to welcome MOM’s Pharmacy to our Seattle location, which will be a convenient option for clients to receive their medication. Construction for MOM’s Pharmacy should begin this summer and they hope to open in September.
The most important thing to take away from all of this is progress is being made and will continue to be made in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Our voice at Lifelong AIDS Alliance is being heard across the country and is truly making a difference, just like your individual voice can make a difference as well. We have every reason to be hopeful that more changes are on the horizon. Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.
Thanks,
David Richart
Executive Director
Chicken Soup Brigade provides 3,500 nutritious meals each week for people living with chronic illnesses. Chicken Soup Brigade keeps its warehouse stocked with help from the general public through the Care to Shop program. Care to Shop is easy, affordable and really makes a difference. After doing your regular grocery shopping at a Care to Shop store, drop an additional item or two into a bin outside of the store. Lifelong will collect the food and distribute it directly to a person in need! A list of participating stores is always available on the website.
Comprehensive Risk Counseling and Services (CRCS) proudly introduces their long-awaited new program, One2One. This highly-specialized program is for high-risk, HIV-negative African-American men who have sex with men (MSM). Through a series of feedback sessions, this program seeks to increase client sense of personal risk, improve communication skills, increase self-efficacy, and decrease unprotected sex. Clients are currently being recruited and enrollment is steadily increasing.
The Men’s Program proudly introduces its new name: HomoHealth. You can currently find a vast array of information about HomoHealth: The Men’s Program at Lifelong on its website, http://www.homohealth.org/.
Want to make a difference? Your voice CAN help! Join the C.A.N. Network, Communities in Action, and advocate for improved policies, services, research, prevention, and civil rights in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Lifelong AIDS Alliance Thrift Store is getting ready for the Seattle sunshine! With fantastic deals on summer dresses, t-shirts, shorts, and accessories, the Thrift Store will certainly have the gear to enhance everyone’s warm-weather wardrobes. The Thrift Store will soon begin making weekly donations of excess inventory to the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC). DESC is a multiservice center for homeless adults in the area, and the Lifelong AIDS Alliance Thrift Store is eager to work with them. If you’d like to donate to the Thrift Store, bring your items by during business hours. The Thrift Store is located at 1017 E. Union in Capitol Hill.
Saturday, June 14, 2008, Big Gay Prom Bingo is SOLD OUT. Next year’s Gay Bingo season is already being planned and promises to be even more fabulous and entertaining than ever before!
Special thanks to the 2008 Gay Bingo Season Sponsors: Vulcan Real Estate, Babeland, Whole Foods Market at Westlake, Seattle Weekly and MOViN 92.5 and to May’s Spotlight Sponsor, The 5th Avenue Theatre.
Friday, June 20, 2008, Gay Bingo at the It’s About Life Expo will be held at the Washington Convention and Trade Center. This is the first It’s About Life Expo in Seattle and we can’t think of a better place to play it. For this special event, which starts at 6:00 p.m, please dress as your favorite First Lady or President! Unfortunately, tickets for this event are not available through Lifelong AIDS Alliance, but can be bought through the Expo or by calling 206.696.7190.
Sunday, June 29, 2008, is the sensational Gay Pride Parade. Come walk with Lifelong AIDS Alliance or look for us in red! Lifelong will also have a booth at Pride Fest at the Seattle Center, everyone is encouraged to stop by and show your support.
August 22-30, 2008, Seattle welcomes the Seattle Gay Softball World Series. The theme of this year is “Northwest Quest,” and Lifelong AIDS Alliance is proud to sponsor and be a beneficiary of this event.
Fall 2008, the Seattle AIDS Walk is approaching quickly! Start planning your Walk team and pull those walking shoes out of your closet. Check back frequently at the Lifelong AIDS Alliance website for an announcement of the date and launch of the official website.
The 6th Annual Youthopolis Awards were held on Friday, April 4, 2008. This award ceremony attracted over 260 attendees, with the majority being LGBTQ youth under the age of 23. Held onboard the famous Spirit of Seattle, guests enjoyed a beautiful 3-hour cruise that consisted of the award ceremony and socializing. Awards were given to youth who have demonstrated excellence and involvement in LGBTQ community activism and events. Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s MPowerment group introduced their guide-book, Club MP- MPowerment’s All Access Queer Youth Guide to Drugs and Alcohol.
The 15th Annual Dining Out For Life was an enormous success, with 157 participating restaurants. The level of participation in our community was outstanding and we are pleased to announce that the total donation and sponsorship amounts were even more than what we’d hoped for! Thank you to all of the fantastic volunteer ambassadors, volunteer teams, sponsors, and to everyone who dined out on April 24, 2008. This event would not have been as successful without all your hard work, support, and dedication to our cause! A special thanks to Tom Douglas’ fantastic restaurants for being the highest contributors to this year’s event.
Saturday, May 10, 2008 was Broadway Gay Bingo and it was a hit! Bitsy Bates was a fantastic and wildly entertaining host. Her jokes and stage presence left everyone raving, as did Tamara the Trapeze Lady’s thrilling dance performance and tantalizing tassel pasties. The sassy and sizzling hot Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were fabulous as always. Special thanks to Freeda “Fingers” Ferguson and Billy Wildrick for their awesome musical contributions and talents.