ACT e-Bulletin Vol. 1 No. 4

The ACT e-Bulletin
Volume 1, Number 4 | October/November 2006

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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Come join us at the Metro Toronto YMCA (20 Grosvenor Street, half a block west of Yonge, just north of College Street) on Tuesday, November 14 for the ACT 2006 Annual General meeting. A light meal will be served at 6:00 p.m. and the meeting will commence at 6:30 p.m.

On the agenda for this year’s meeting: Board elections, volunteer and staff service awards, and a panel discussion about this summer’s XVI International AIDS Conference that features staff, volunteers, board members, and clients who attended.

To be able to vote at the AGM, you must have become a member of ACT at least 30 days prior to the meeting. For more information about how to become a member of ACT, email Jessica at jgelberg@actoronto.org. Or, you can become an ACT member by filling out the on-line registration form here.


COMMUNITY HEALTH FORUM ON HIV/AIDS & MENTAL HEALTH
On Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., ACT will host “HIV/AIDS, Mental Health, Depression, Treatment, Meds, and Side Effects,” the first Community Health Forum of the fall season. Featured speakers include Dr. Mark Halman from St. Michael’s Hospital and Aniker Ollner from the Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange. The event happens at the Metro Toronto YMCA, 20 Grosvenor Street.


WOMEN'S COFFEE NIGHT
Women's Coffee Night at ACT is great opportunity for HIV-positive women to meet each other, share experiences and resources, and to find out what ACT may have to offer them. We usually meet on the third Wednesday evening of the month from 6 – 8 p.m. here at ACT. Our next Women's Coffee Night will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 18th 6 – 8 p.m. in the PYO room on the fourth floor. Registration isn't necessary, but call ahead to register for the childcare subsidy if you require it. Call Kristy at 416-340-8484 ext. 234 to find out more.


ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL WALK — THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Thank you to the 6,000+ walkers, supporters, and corporate sponsors who helped raise over $455,000, and counting, for ACT and its Community Partners Fund. Your support in raising funds, awareness and community support is sincerely appreciated by ACT staff, volunteers, and clients. You can continue to make online pledges and submit outstanding pledges at www.aidswalktoronto.org, or by contacting ACT at 416-340-8484 ext. 279.


NEW PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS & DEMENTIA
ACT’s Health Promotion team is currently developing a new day program for people living with HIV/AIDS and dementia. Offered in partnership with Mid-Toronto Community Services, the program starts in spring 2007. For more information, contact Robin Rhodes at 416-340-8484 ext. 219 or rrhodes@actoronto.org.


MAC AIDS FUNDS NEW WOMEN'S PROGRAM
On Sep. 6, the MAC AIDS Fund announced that it would be providing $493,000 over two years to support ACT, Voices of Positive Women, Women's Health in Women's Hands, and the Ontario Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Strategy to develop an innovative peer-led HIV prevention program for women from African and Caribbean and First Nations communities.

From My Community will train and support networks of peer educators to reach out to women at risk for HIV wherever theylive and socialize — at churches and mosques, settlement agencies and English-as-a-Second-Language classes, hair and nail salons, community outreach organizations, and beyond.

Entirely community-based, the project's peer educators will use these "safe" community spaces to open up discussion about HIV/AIDS and provide useful information and support. Scheduled to launch in early 2007, From My Community will be managed by Lisungu Chieza, ACT's Women's Community Education Coordinator. She can be reached at lchieza@actoronto.org for more information.Thanks, MAC AIDS!


RESEARCH WITH A PURPOSE
The Research Program recently published "Research with a Purpose: Community-based Research at the AIDS Committee of Toronto," a new brochure for people interested to know more about the agency’s research and program development activities. The brochure, which debuted at the XVI International AIDS Conference in August, outlines the purpose and guiding principles of the program, and is available from the ACT library or online, in pdf format, at www.actoronto.org/research.


FALL 2006 SYPHILIS BLITZ
In response to high numbers of syphilis infections among gay and bisexual men, ACT, Hassle Free Clinic and Toronto Public Health are rolling out the second phase of their syphilis information blitz this fall. This year’s blitz, which runs from mid-October to mid-December, includes ads and info flyers in community newspapers and magazines, in bars and doctors’ offices, and online. Free and confidential syphilis tests will be provided at local bathhouses by Hassle Free Clinic staff, while ACT’s outreach volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and supply condoms and lubricant. Visit www.actoronto.org/syphilis for more information.


ACT AT THE AIDS 2006 CONFERENCE
ACT made its presence felt at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto this August. Staff presented abstracts and posters on issues ranging from media training for PHAs to the impact of racism on HIV transmission in the city’s African and Caribbean communities.

We hosted information booths in both the exhibition hall and Global Village area, and, with a group of international AIDS organizations, held “MSM & HIV: Advancing a Global Agenda for Gay Men and Other Men who have Sex with Men,” a two-day event for activists, researchers, and development workers. ACT also provided conference scholarships to staff, clients and volunteers.

To learn more about ACT’s conference activities, visit www.actoronto.org/aids2006; to learn more about the MSM & HIV event, visit www.msm-aids2006.org or download a copy of the latest ACT Newsletter at www.actoronto.org.


DECAIDS FASHION CARES DOCUMENTARY
On Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m., Global Television will air DecAIDS, a compelling new documentary about the history of ACT’s Fashion Cares fundraiser. Visit www.decaids.tv to view the trailer.


SPECIAL HALLOWE'EN JAVA KNIGHTS
As part of ACT’s prevention commitment to look at supporting healthy community connections for gay men all over Toronto, the Gay Men’s Community Education strategy has been working closely with Gay West, a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered group, to offer Java Knights, a monthly event in Toronto’s west end.

This month, come in costume and join writer, art journalist and video artist RM Vaughan (author of the celebrated neo-gothic novels Spells and A Quilted Heart) for a spirited talk on queers in vintage horror cinema, complete with film clips. Stay late and celebrate Hallowe’en with pumpkin carving, music and socializing. At the Gladstone Hotel’s Art Bar (1241 Queen St W), 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 31.


HIV/AIDS RESOURCE FOR WOMEN
ACT recently developed “Women, HIV/AIDS and Sexual Violence,” a new information resource for Portuguese-speaking women. The brochure, which is available at the ACT offices. Contact Fernanda at 416-340-8484 ext. 290 or fdasilva@actoronto.org for more information.


NEW FUNDING FROM THE LEVIS STRAUSS FOUNDATION
ACT is happy to announce that the Levi Strauss Foundation, one of our long-standing partnes, recently donated $25,000 to support ACT’s programs and services. Foundations rarely support non-specific funding streams, so this is a great boon to the agency, providing us with the flexibility to bolster existing services and fill programming gaps. The Levi Strauss Foundation has supported ACT for many years.

Last year, they funded the publication and circulation of "HIV/AIDS, Stigma, Denial, Fear, and Discrimination: Experiences and responses of People from African and Caribbean Communities Living in Toronto," an important research study of which ACT was a part. They have also recently provided key funding for the Employment Action program. Thank you, Levi Strauss.


FALL 2006 CORE SKILLS TRAINING
Congratulations to everyone who completed the Fall 2006 Volunteer Core Skills Training program. The training, offered in partnership with the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation and Voices of Positive Women, features skills-building workshops on topics such as HIV/AIDS basics, cultural competency, boundaries, effective communication, needs assessment and referrals, teambuilding, and confidentiality. Volunteer Core Skills Training is required for all volunteers involved in ACT program and service delivery.

The next training session will be held in spring 2007. For more information, contact Sergio Martinez, Program Volunteer Coordinator, at smartinez@actoronto.org or 416-340-8484 ext 224.