MAC AIDS Fund Announces Major Collaborative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For further information , please contact:
Krishna Stone, GMHC, 212-367-1016
Cathy Renna, SAGE, 917-757-6123

MAC AIDS FUND ANNOUNCES MAJOR COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO FIGHT HIV/AIDS IN OLDER ADULTS

April 6, New York, NY— The MAC AIDS Fund announced today that it is granting a total of $475,000 to four AIDS service organizations to launch a collaborative effort to fight HIV/AIDS in people over the age of 50. The grants include $150,000 for the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA), $150,000 for Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), $150,000 for Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and $25,000 for GRIOT Circle. Together, the four agencies will employ their respective areas of expertise – including education, advocacy, research, capacity building and direct services – to combat the alarming rates of infection among people over the age of 50.

“This visionary grant from the MAC AIDS Fund shows that no matter how challenging the economic environment might be these days, we can still find creative solutions to our most urgent issues when we partner together,” stated Marjorie J. Hill, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of GMHC.

The dramatic spike in infections among people over the age of 50 is of serious concern to AIDS service and LGBT aging organizations across the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported earlier this year that HIV infections among this age group increased by 25% between 2006 and 2007. In fact, according to a recent ACRIA study, within 5 to 7 years, more than 50% of all people living with HIV in the United States will be over the age of 50.

“The critical story behind this collaboration and this path-breaking grant from the MAC AIDS Fund is that we are finally starting to tackle a new reality: aging and HIV are inextricably linked, and our programs and strategies need to reflect that,” stated Michael Adams, Executive Director of SAGE. “As an organization that specifically serves and advocates for older people in one of the communities hardest hit by HIV, SAGE is especially proud of this collaborative and MAC AIDS’ support.”
Community response has been overwhelming enthusiastic. “As an older individual living with AIDS, I believe the range of proposed services will address the HIV/AIDS challenges for people over the age of 50 and impact the community in a very positive way,” said community leader Ed Shaw.
The collaboration seeks to improve health outcomes for people over the age of 50 by inserting aging issues into HIV/AIDS public policy at the federal, state and local levels. By bringing the unique HIV prevention needs of older adults into the conversation around health policy, the groups plan to ensure that people over the age of 50 receive adequate HIV prevention services. While all four groups are located in New York City, the collaboration is national in scope, and promises to produce positive outcomes that have enormous implications for HIV advocacy and prevention throughout the United States.

“These are the kinds of integrated partnerships and collaborations that leverage and maximize resources, exponentially increasing overall impact and really making a difference in both the policy and direct service front," said Nancy Mahon, Executive Director of the MAC AIDS Fund.

The bold show of support from the MAC AIDS Fund seeks to build on a previous collaboration between the four organizations, also funded by MAC AIDS, which took the first steps toward addressing the HIV/AIDS needs of this crucial demographic.

Some examples of the work accomplished during the original collaboration include a first-of-its-kind HIV social marketing campaign targeting older adults spearheaded by GMHC; a SAGE and GMHC collaboration to sponsor HIV testing days at SAGE’s Harlem site; the GMHC and ACRIA joint publication, Achieve; and HIV trainings at senior-serving organizations throughout New York City conducted by all four organizations.


ABOUT THE M•A•C AIDS FUND
The M•A•C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M•A•C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working in underserved regions and with underserved populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical funder in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS, by providing support to diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised $139 million (U.S.) exclusively through the sale of M•A•C’s VIVA GLAM lipstick and lipglass, donating 100 percent of the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit www.macaidsfund.org.