voice - AIDS Services Foundation Orange County

Letter from the Board President
Act Against AIDS
These are the “lazy
days of summer”;
however, given the
flurry of activity
at ASF it’s been
anything but lazy.
We have moved
quickly through
a series of events
starting with the
Lexus Cinco de
Mayo celebration,
OC AIDS Walk, the Family Reunion, the Macy’s
Fashion Show, Laugh out Loud and have had lots
of fun along the way. Next up, the Final Splash!
Through it all we have been very fortunate to have
the continued support of our dedicated staff, long
time volunteers and donors. We have also enjoyed
meeting and welcoming new supporters willing
to help us raise funds so that we can continue to
provide critically needed services to those affected
by HIV and AIDS.
Behind the scenes we have grappled with
anticipated state budget cuts and IOUs and have
been confronted with hard questions. How else can
we reduce costs, how much service can we afford to
provide and which are the most important?
In the current economic environment, most
nonprofit organizations face the same challenge,
but so do families and businesses. Unfortunately
their needs have also impacted ASF. It’s that
awareness that makes me most grateful to those of
you that have been able, and chosen, to continue
to support ASF.
To new friends, donors and volunteers –
your arrival could not have been at a more
critical time. The support from foundations,
corporations, small businesses, individual
contributions and volunteers has made it possible
for us to sustain our core services and continue
to make a difference. Thank you to each and
all. Enjoy the rest of your summer and I look
forward to seeing you at the Big Splash Finale
in September! d
–Maria Marquez, President of the ASF Board
4 THE VOICE aug-oct 09
Obama Administration Announces
National HIV/AIDS Campaign Act Against
AIDS - First communications effort in
more than a decade
According to the White House, every 9½ minutes
another person in America becomes infected with
HIV. Officials from the White House, Department
of Health and Human Services and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced
in April a new five-year national communications
campaign, Act Against AIDS, which highlights this
alarming statistic and aims to combat complacency
about the HIV/AIDS crisis in the U.S.
CDC data released in 2008 noted that about 56,000
Americans become newly infected with HIV each
year – significantly more than was previously known
– and more than 14,000 people with
AIDS die each year in the U.S. Yet,
at the same time, Americans’ concern
about the spread of HIV/AIDS has
declined dramatically.
“Act Against AIDS seeks to put
the HIV crisis back on the
national radar screen,” said
Melody Barnes, assistant to
the President and director of
the White House Domestic
Policy Council. “Our goal is
to remind Americans that HIV/AIDS continues to
pose a serious health threat in the United States and
encourage them to get the facts they need to take
action for themselves and their communities.”
The campaign will feature public service
announcements (PSAs) and online communications,
as well as targeted messages and outreach to the
populations most severely affected by HIV/AIDS,
beginning with African-Americans, with subsequent
phases focusing on Latinos and other communities
disproportionately impacted.
Act Against AIDS is part of President Obama’s
recently announced National HIV/AIDS Strategy
reported on in the last issue of The Voice and again in
this issue. In the next issue of The Voice we’ll update
progress of this new communications campaign,
especially as it relates to outreach to Latino and
African American audiences. d