ACT e-Bulletin Vol. 3 No. 3
The ACT e-Bulletin
Volume 3, Number 3 | September/October 2008
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| Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life Toronto: Only a Few Days to Go! |  |
The Walk raises funds to support our programs and services for people living with HIV/AIDS, and our important HIV prevention, education and outreach work. If you need more information about fundraising or the event, please visit the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life website at www.aidswalkforlifetoronto.ca for ideas and tips. Start a Facebook page to recruit your friends, or simply just keep sending out emails with a link to your personal Walk page - it's that easy. Even if you cannot register as a walker and collect pledges, you can still make an on-line pledge to support the Walk through the website. As always, the AIDS Walk is proud to offer prizes for our top walkers. They include:
Two nights accommodation at The Pantages Hotel (includes breakfast & bottle of champagne) and a luxurious Pantages Spa couples spa package 2nd Top Walker: Share the Experience Package, Pantages Spa. 60min couples massage; includes fruit platter 3rd Top Walker: Time for Me Package, Pantages Spa Water therapies followed by a 60min relaxation massage, the Pantages Spa's signature au natural facial (60 min) and manicure If you have questions, contact Jasmine at 416-340-8484 ext. 249. We're also looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us out with this important event. Interested in helping out before, during, or after the event? Please contact Jim at 416-340-8484 ext. 255 or jbilling@actoronto.org. Remember, volunteering is more fun when you do it with friends, family, or co-workers, so feel free to recruit as many people as you know to join you. Volunteers can use the hours to fulfill their student or corporate volunteer requirements. And remember - volunteering looks great on your resume! | |
| 25 Years, 25 Stories: Share Your Story Today | |
This month we're launching two more stories about the history of HIV/AIDS in Toronto - one focusing on the launch of the ACT library in 1987 and another on the rise of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the mid-1990s. We also encourage you to submit your stories, memories, and anecdotes to us for inclusion in the project. Visit www.actoronto.org/25stories to read more and find out how you can share today! | |
| Federal Election on Oct. 14: Make HIV Count Where You Live | |
The Ontario AIDS Network (of which ACT is a member organization) will be launching an elections advocacy website which contains information you can ask of your candidates. Please visit www.ontarioaidsnetwork.on.ca for more information. Some of the questions ACT will be asking of the candidates: 1) Where does your party stand on restoring full funding for HIV prevention, education and support programs for community organizations across Canada? The 2004 Federal Initiative to address HIV/AIDS in Canada called for federal funding to address the epidemic in Canada with $84.4 million every year. Recently, however, funding has been cut back - last year federal funding to the province of Ontario was cut by $1 million. Although the federal government recently announced an increase in funding, this is still below what was committed in 2004. 2) Where does your party stand on funding for supportive and affordable housing? Many people living with HIV/AIDS struggle to get by on fixed incomes. With a lack of affordable housing, many are forced to spend their limited resources on shelter, with very little money left over for food or other necessities to maintain their health. 3) What would your party do to facilitate the export of reduced-cost HIV medications to low and middle-income countries? While Canadian legislation was passed in 2004 to alter pharmaceutical drug patent laws to allow the production and exportation of generic antiretroviral drugs, very few drugs have been exported due to the huge amounts of red tape that obstruct their passage out of the country. 4) There is a large body of scientific evidence that shows that harm reduction programs, including supervised safe injection sites, significantly reduce the risks of both HIV and Hepatitis C transmission. Where does your party stand on harm reduction programs? | |
| Library Open House | |
Re-connect with the library or come visit us for the first time. Learn about the rich history of our collection and what it might have for you. The open house will include a tour, timeline, presentation, food, and prizes. For more information, contact the Library at 416-340-8484 ext. 303 or library@actoronto.org. | |
| HIV/AIDS Community Calendar | |
| Fall Therapy Groups | |
| Fall Therapy Groups Offered by the Coalition on HIV and Mental Health: Living Well If you are coping with change and uncertainty, this group will provide an opportunity to share, explore and find support with others as you face the challenges of living with HIV. Separate groups for men and women. Long-term Survivors A group for men who have been living with HIV/AIDS for more than one year and who feel stuck, depressed or isolated. The Coalition on HIV and Mental Health is a collaboration between ACT, the David Kelley HIV/AIDS Counselling Program of Family Services Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre HIV Outpatient Clinic, the Clinic for HIV-Related Concerns at Mt.Sinai Hospital, and Casey House Hospice. For more information, please call 416-340-8484 ext. 410. | |
| Fall 2008 Joint Volunteer Outreach Training | |
| The Joint Volunteer Outreach Training program equips volunteers for three of ACT's primary program areas: Gay Men's Outreach, Portuguese-speaking Men's Outreach, and Harm Reduction Outreach - Gay Youth and Men. The training builds on the basics of our Core Skills Training program for outreach-specific volunteer work. This year's first round of training will include participation from existing outreach volunteers and a field training component where new volunteers help to deliver ACT's Halloween outreach in bars, clubs and on the street. Fall training dates are Oct. 22, 25, 31 and Nov. 5 and 8. Contact Duncan at 416-340-8484 ext. 254 for more information. | |
| Fashion Cares on Nov. 1 | |
On Saturday, Nov. 1, Toronto's most glamorous fundraiser returns to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre with a renewed focus on fashion and a special Hallowe'en theme. "Fashion Cares 2008 is going to be a blast," says Fashion Cares Chair Michael King. "Our vision is to bring back the essence of what's made this event such an amazing success for the past 21 years, and help ACT raise the money that is so vital to funding the organization's day to day operations. "This year we're putting the fashion back in Fashion Cares with a spectacle that will blow you away: imagine Haute Couture meets Hitchcock meets Paris is Burning and you've got an idea of where we're going. It's very exciting!" Planning is well underway for this fall spectacular - look for exciting announcements throughout the summer at www.fashioncares.com. Gala tickets and corporate tables are now available for purchase. Call 416-340-9255 to get yours today. General admissions tickets go on sale Sept. 6 at www.ticketmaster.ca. | |
| New Gay Men's Outreach and Education Programs Brochure | |
| The Gay Men's Community Education, Outreach, and Harm Reduction teams, along with the Portuguese-speaking Men's Outreach team, has recently developed a new services brochure that caters to the needs of the gay men. Developed with the help of volunteer Wilson Ho, the brochure is now available in bathhouses and in other community venues around Toronto. Last year alone, our prevention and education programs reached more than 225,000 men. Look for it in a venue near you! | |
| SNAP! Benefit Auction | | ||||
| ACT is excited to announce that Ritchies - Canada's leading art auction house - and Elevator Hotel will host a gala exhibition and auction in support of our work. With SNAP! still a few months away, you can get your photography fix in the meantime by joining us at the Hazelton Hotel in Yorkville on Oct. 29 from 7 - 11 p.m. for great art, hors d'oeuvres, refreshments, and entertainment in a grand new venue. The auction, will be conducted by Perry Tung, Director of International Art at Ritchies, and will include the work of internationally known photographers, Elevator Workshops' instructors and participants. For more information about the benefit auction or about SNAP!, contact Jasmine at jtaulla@actoronto.org.
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| MaBwana Update | |
| This summer in Mexico City, the MaBwana research team presented its findings about HIV testing among Black gay men living in Toronto at the 2008 International AIDS Conference. Our presentations were based on the MaBwana Black Men's Study, which was launched during Pride festivities last year. By January 2008, 168 men had completed a MaBwana survey questionnaire. The results indicate that most Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) who participated in Mabwana study had received an HIV test. Eighty-six percent of the men who took part in the survey had been tested for HIV at least once in the last year, with about half of those participants having received an HIV test in the last sixmonths. This news is very encouraging as it suggests that these men are aware of HIV, concerned about their health and interested in knowing their HIV status. The MaBwana data about HIV testing are particularly relevant to our work and our communities. If diagnosed with HIV early, people can access treatment and care promptly, which has been shown to improve health outcomes. A person aware of his HIV status is able to make informed decisions about his health, and about protecting his sexual partners. These data also suggest that we should continue to deliver HIV prevention messages, through campaigns such as Keep it Alive, and encourage Black gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, to get tested, practice safer sex, take care of themselves and their communities. Research presented in Mexico City also confirmed that effective HIV vaccines and microbicides may not be developed and available in the near future. Therefore, one of the best strategies to addressing the impact of HIV/AIDS in our Black communities and Black gay communities in particular, remain a combination of effective interventions that address the determinants of health and focus on HIV prevention, as well as treatment and care for people living with HIV. The MaBwana team also presented the research at the MSM pre-conference satellite. We are continuing to analyze data from the survey and interviews. We expect to release the final report by March 2009. In the meantime, please contact Lydia at lmakoroka@actoronto.org for more information. | |
| Third Issue of Being Well Out Now | |
The third issue of BeingWell: The PWA/ACT Wellness Newsletter has answers to all of these questions. The theme of the current issue is smoking cessation for people living with HIV/AIDS. Check it out at the ACT and PWA offices or online. | |
| Announcing the FrancoQueer HIV/AIDS Project | |
| FrancoQueer invites you to the launch of its HIV/AIDS project in partnership with ACT on Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. at Voglie, 582 Church Street (North of Wellesley). Come out to socialize, network, eat, and find out about our exciting new programs for LGBT francophones. Also, enjoy our special guest, singer Nathalie Nadon. The event will be held in French and English. Admission is free. RSVP to sharon@francoqueer.ca or call 416-340-8484 ext. 452 by September 15. Spaces are limited, so RSVP early to ensure your space. More About the Project The FrancoQueer HIV/AIDS Project provides three services: 1) Sexual health workshops for the population in general; 2) Self-help groups for people living with HIV; and, 3) A symposium of French health care workers who work with people living with HIV/AIDS. We would greatly appreciate referrals of any French-speaking clients or contacts you may have, especially LGBT francophones and/or francophones with HIV. Feel free to come and visit our new office at ACT on the third floor if you haven't done so already. FrancoQueer also invites you to our monthly social, which will take place on Thursday September 4, 2008 at 5 p.m. at Sailor/Woody's located at 465-467 Church Street. It is a chance for you to come to socialize, eat and learn more about our programs. Admission is free ($5 donation suggested to cover the costs). For more information or to RSVP, please contact Carlos Idibouo at 416-340-8484 ext. 260 or Sharon Love at 416-340-8484 ext. 452. Francoqueer Annonce Des Prochaines Activites Francoqueer est très fier de vous annoncer la mise en œuvre de son projet VIH/SIDA en partenariat avec le Comité SIDA de Toronto(ACT) Ce projet s'articule autour de quatre points principaux qui sont : - l'organisation d'ateliers de formation pour les intervenants en santé communautaire et pour la population en générale - la mise en place de groupes d'entraide et de discussion - le développement de partenariat avec des organismes communautaires tant francophones qu'anglophones - l'organisation d'un symposium traitant des soins de santé en français pour les personnes vivant avec le VIH/SIDA A cet effet nous organisons en ce moment le lancement de cet excitant projet qui aura lieu le 1er Octobre 2008 au restaurant bar le Voglie situé sur la rue Church au nord de l'intersection Church et Wellesley. Comme d'habitude, Francoqueer organise son rendez-vous mensuel, l'apéro qui aura lieu le jeudi 04 Septembre 2008 à 17 h au Sailor/Woody's situé sur la rue Church au 465-467. C'est l'occasion pour vous de venir socialiser en français et surtout de tout savoir sur la programmation d'automne 2008. Pour plus d'information veuillez contacter Carlos Idibouo et Sharon Love au 416-340-8484 poste 260 ou 452. | |
