Actionaids Is Awarded $40,000 To Fight Hiv Aids In The Greater Philly Area

Philadelphia, PA - ActionAIDS, Pennsylvania's largest HIV/AIDS service organization, announced today that it has received a $40,000 grant award from The Philadelphia Foundation. This unrestricted, general operating fund grant will support crucial services for people with HIV/AIDS that are not supported by government grants or contracts and not supported by project-specific foundation or corporate grants.

The grant was made possible by the generosity of the original donors of the following funds at The Philadelphia Foundation: The Richard R. & Charlotte C. Wright Memorial Fund, The Lola Ervien Douglass Fund, The Richard C. Parker Fund, and The Walter E. Hering Fund #2.

"This grant is critical to our ability to provide crucial, but otherwise unfunded, services," said Kevin Burns, Executive Director at ActionAIDS. Among the services supported by this grant is the ActionAIDS "Buddy" program, which is now the largest HIV/AIDS volunteer Buddy service in the United States. The Buddy program complements and augments the work of case management professionals by providing one-on-one emotional support, companionship, and occasional assistance with the tasks of daily living to consumers. Last year, about 235 Buddies provided more than 8,000 hours of one-on-one service to people living with HIV/AIDS, who were not only ActionAIDS clients, but also clients of three other local HIV/AIDS organizations. The grant will also support ActionAIDS HIV testing and prevention services. Last year, that program provided 1,141 people with free HIV testing and counseling services.

About ActionAIDS

ActionAIDS is a Philadelphia, PA, based organization, committed to creating an AIDS-free generation through a combination of proven strategies. Our services include case management, HIV testing, prevention education, supportive housing, HIV treatment as prevention, and volunteer services. Through our work in partnership with people living with HIV/AIDS, we seek to sustain and enhance their quality of life. Our Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers are committed to including and assisting people from our diverse community.

About The Philadelphia Foundation

Since 1918, The Philadelphia Foundation has been committed to improving the quality of life in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. It links those with financial resources to those who serve societal needs. The Foundation grows the more than 800 charitable funds established by its donors and distributes about $20 million annually in grants and scholarships to about 1,000 effective nonprofit organizations. Through this support, The Foundation builds healthy communities, strengthens children and families, advances economic opportunities and enhances culture and recreation. For more information, please visit www.philafound.org.