ACT e-Bulletin Vol. 3 No. 1

The ACT e-Bulletin
Volume 3, Number 1 | March/April 2008

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Support ACT and Win a Trip to Vienna, Austria in May!
In honour of the agency's 25th anniversary, ACT and conxity.com would like to send you and a friend to Europe's most glamorous HIV/AIDS fundraising event.

Visit conxity.com, make a contribution to ACT, and enter to win.

The winner receives Life Ball tickets, airfare to Vienna, and accommodation in one of the city's four-star hotels - a value of over $4,000!*

*Some rules apply. Visit www.conxity.com/pages/act.php for details.

Spring Support Groups
Are you living with or affected by HIV/AIDS? Do you feel isolated or would you like support? Consider joining one of ACT's peer-based or alternative support groups.

The spring groups are scheduled to start in April.

For more information, or to register, contact Kate at 416-340-8484 ext. 283.

Thank You for Making SNAP! 08 a Huge Success!
On behalf of all of our clients and staff, ACT would like to thank all of the photographers, patrons, donors, and volunteers who made SNAP! 08 the huge success that it was. Special thanks go to honorary chairperson William Thorsell and our dedicated steering committee.

With your help, SNAP! raised over $150,000 for ACT. These funds help us to continue to provide vital HIV prevention, education, and support programs to people living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS in Toronto. Our programs touch the lives of thousands of men, women, and youth across the city.

Once again thank you for not just thinking about HIV/AIDS, but joining the fight against it..

Condom Stuffing Idol - Season Two Premieres April 1
During the inaugural season of Condom Stuffing Idol last year, a group of over 100 participants produced 20,656 condom-lube packs vied for hundreds of dollars in prizes. This year, we're back and the pressure is on!

The season premiere of Condom Stuffing Idol - Season Two happens April 1 at 6 p.m. Episodes two to five, including the grand finale, will be on Tuesday evenings, April 8, 15, 22 and 29.

All condom stuffing parties are held between 6 - 8:30 p.m. in the fourth floor library area at ACT, 399 Church Street. We provide munchies, refreshments and easy instructions. No need to pre-register. Just show up. Bring a friend!

And, don't forget our very special celebrity condom-stuffing on Wednesday, March 19 with the incomparable Maggie Cassella (www.maggiecassella.com) as your host. You won't want to miss this evening. Maggie will be donating fabulous prizes like DVDs and VIP tickets to this year's We're Funny That Way Comedy Festival on April 30 - May 3.

Condom-stuffers play an important role in ACT's outreach program, providing valuable support to our team of dedicated staff and volunteers.

Please visit the ACT condom stuffing webpage for details. To be placed on our condom stuffing email list or for more information about this program, please contact Duncan at dmaclachlan@actoronto.org or 416-340-8484 ext. 254.

Upcoming Community Health Forums
ACT is proud to present two free community health forums this spring:

Sexual and Reproductive Health for People Living with HIV/AIDS: A discussion about barriers to pregnancy for HIV-positive people, access to care, contraceptions choices, medical issues, and pregnancy planning with the help of assisted reproductive technologies. Guest speakers include infectious disease specialist Dr. Mona Loutfy, and Shari Margolise of Voices of Positive Women. Wednesday, March 26, 7 - 9 p.m.

Youth and HIV: Sexuality, Confidentiality, and Access to Treatment: A discussion about HIV-positive youth, treatment, and healthy sexuality. Guest speakers include Dr. Jason Brophy of Sick Kids' Hospital and Angel Parks, Positive Youth Outreach Coordinator at ACT at ACT. Thursday, April 17, 7 - 9 p.m.

Both events happen at the Metro Toronto YMCA, 200 Grosvenor Street (one block north of College and Yonge). The YMCA is wheelchair accessible. A light buffet will be served, and a childcare subsidy will be available.

Reservations are not required. For more information or to sign up for the forum mailing list, contact Robin at 416-340-8484 ext. 219 or rrhodes@actoronto.org.

ACT Research Day: April 3 and 11
ACT Research Day is an annual event for HIV/AIDS service providers, researchers and policymakers to discuss current strategies, research, programs, and policy. Consisting of two-half day sessions, Research Day features panel presentations on research or policy, facilitated discussion and special guest presentations.

Part I: Understanding Ontario's HIV/AIDS Strategies happens on Thursday, April 3 and features presentations from key stakeholders on Ontario's Aboriginal, African and Caribbean, Gay Men's, and Women's HIV/AIDS Strategies, as well as moderated discussion about how the strategies relate to research, program development and advocacy.

Part II: Knowledge for Access happens on Friday, April 11. In Part II, community-based researchers will present current research on Ontario's trans communities, disability and HIV, and PHA involvement in the response to HIV/AIDS. A moderated discussion about the implications for service provision and policy will follow.

Join us for either or both parts of ACT Research Day 2008 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto. To register, visit www.actoronto.org/rdreg.

Research Day is a free event. Funding is provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN).

Questions? Contact Lydia at 416-340-8484 ext. 233 or visit www.actoronto.org/researchday for more information about the event.

Women’s Coffee Nights
Join us for Women's Coffee Night the third Wednesday of every month at 399 Church Street, fourth floor, from 6 - 8 p.m. These evenings are a perfect opportunity for women living with HIV/AIDS to connect with, support and learn from each other. All HIV-positive women are welcome. Come in for a hot cup of coffee and dinner and leave with a warmer heart!

The next Women's Coffee Night is a movie night complete with all the fixings - pizza, popcorn and snacks! Join us is on Wednesday, March 19.

On April 16 we're offering an interactive cooking workshop. Registration is required for this special off-site event as space is limited.

For more information or to RSVP for Women's Coffee Night please contact Kate at 416-340-8484 ext. 313 or kmurzin@actoronto.org .

ASO411: A New Resource to Replace
the Living Guide Online
Effective April 1, 2008 ASO411 will replace the Living Guide Online (LGO).

In 2006 ACT participated in the Toronto HIV/AIDS Community Planning Initiative (TCPI), along with other provincially-funded HIV/AIDS programs in the city. TCPI recommended the development of an accessible Internet-based tool to provide information on HIV/AIDS services in Toronto and throughout Ontario.

ACT, the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) and a TCPI Working Group collaborated to undertake the development of an appropriate tool.

This new web search tool, ASO411, is now available online at www.aso411.ca to give service providers, individuals living with HIV/AIDS and community members accurate, up-to-date information about HIV/AIDS-related services in Ontario. It allows individuals to search online for services and programs in their community.

If you have any questions or require more information, please contact us at aso411@actoronto.org.

The Writing Project
Tell your story and make a mark! This spring, ACT will publish a collection of stories by gay and bisexual men about their experiences living with HIV/AIDS.

Consider sharing your stories with your community by contributing to this collection of writings. Submissions can be up to five pages in length, or you can tell your story and have it transcribed by an ACT volunteer.

This is a project by and for HIV-positive gay and bisexual men in Ontario. Trans men living with HIV who identify as gay or bisexual are welcome to participate.

The deadline is March 25, 2008.

For more information, visit www.actoronto.org/writingproject or call ACT's Health Promotion Coordinator at 416-340-8484 ext. 283.

It's Time to Renew Your ACT Membership
Are you a member of ACT? If so, your membership will be up for renewal on March 31, 2008 (the end of ACT's fiscal year).

We are working harder than ever to continue our tradition of a strong membership that supports our vision, mission and guiding principles. Our members support and guide us and in doing so, you make a real difference.We hope you will rejoin us for the next year and if you have never been a member, we hope you will join us now.

Visit www.actoronto.org/membership to review your membership or become a member today!

Java Knights: Gay Literary Book Slam
Join us for readings and a roundtable discussion with authors Jeffery Round, Todd Klinck, Donald D'Haene, Pat Capponi and Debra Anderson. They will read from their latest works and answer audience questions. Their books will be available for purchase and signing.

Tuesday, March 25th from 7 -9 p.m. at the Gladstone Hotel's Art Bar at 1214 Queen Street West at Dufferin. Fresh finger food served and soft drinks, cash bar.

Please RSVP to Bryen Dunn at javaknights@hotmail.com or 416-551-1709.

Brazilian Bathhouse Party: March 26
The Portuguese-speaking Men's Outreach Project is partnering with Steamworks to present the second edition of the Brazilian Bathhouse Party on Wednesday, March 26 at Steam Works, 8 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Bilingual (Portuguese/English) educational materials and outreach workers will be available if you have any questions or concerns about sexual health. Hassle Free will also be on hand to provide free testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

At 11:30 p.m. in the maze area of the club there will be a workshop about everything you need to know for a fun night of safer sex, featuring condom demonstrations and more. Participants will have the chance to win fun prizes..

You don't want to miss this opportunity to talk about sex in a safe place and very casual way.

Brazilian food and beverages will be offered to the patrons. Good music and great fun are guaranteed.

Contact Andre at aceranto@actoronto.org for more information . See you there!

Syphilis Campaign Hits the Press!
Developed in partnership with Toronto Public Health and Hassle Free Clinic, ACT's syphilis prevention campaign ("Syphilis. It's Still Here. You May Not Know You Have It.") is rolling out in gay and ethnospecific media through the spring and will continue until June.

Posters are already up in local bathhouses and the agency is also producing 25,000 thematic condom-lube packs to be distributed in bathhouses and other venues.

Thanks to Asian Community AIDS Services, the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, the Black Coalition for AIDS Prevention, the Centre for Spanish-speaking Peoples AIDS Program, and VIVER (Portuguese-speaking HIV/AIDS coalition) for their support of the campaign.

For more information, visit ACT's Syphilis: Frequently Asked Questions page or contact Duncan at dmaclachlan@actoronto.org.

ACT-VIVER HIV/AIDS Forum for Portuguese-speaking People
On March 14th, 2008, VIVER (the Portuguese-speaking HIV/AIDS coalition) and ACT will host their annual HIV/AIDS forum for Portuguese-speaking people in Toronto at ABRIGO Centre, 900 Duffering Street, from 4 - 7 p.m. This year's event will focus on Portuguese-speaking youth at risk of HIV infection.

The Forum will cover topics such as HIV/AIDS infection and prevention, stigma and discrimination, myths and stereotypes, and the basics of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. The Forum also includes a presentation about a day in the life of a person living with HIV/AIDS.

For more information, contact Fernanda at 416-340-8484, ext. 290.

ACT e-Bulletin Vol. 3 No. 1

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