For those concerned about ADAP cuts

[Guest guest]

Dear Friend of CHAMP, Expanded HIV testing policies are being proposed and put into place around the country. While more people learning their HIV status is a good thing, the Federal government is not funding the services to meet the increasing demand for care and treatment. Finding out you are HIV positive, only to be put on a waiting list for treatment, is a cruel reality that no one should have to face. You can help by joining a national grassroots postcard campaign for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). All you need to do is sign-up to receive printed postcards and then collect signatures at your place of work, house of worship, or support group meeting. Then, send the postcards back to the organizer. The details about the campaign are below. It's a great way to kick off a new year, and a great way to start organizing your community for HIV prevention justice. Thanks, Lei ChouCommunity HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP)

Dear Colleagues, A group of AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) advocates recently created an ADAP awareness postcard campaign. These postcards will be signed by people from around the country and asks key members of Congress to support full funding for ADAP and other White services in Fiscal Year 2009. We are looking for volunteers in all states to help get signatures on these cards. We are especially in need of volunteers from the states listed below. However, volunteers from all states are greatly appreciated. Our primary goal is to get all 10,000 cards signed.

ConnecticutDelawareFloridaHawaiiIllinoisIndianaKentuckyMainelandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouri

MontanaNebraskaNevadaNew Hampshire North DakotaOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth DakotaTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWest VirginiaVolunteers will get the cards signed and mail them back (at their cost) to The AIDS Institute in Washington, DC. Once collected, the cards will be distributed in person to leaders of the House and Senate health-related appropriations subcommittees, along with copies to the constituents' own Representative and Senators. We believe this will have the biggest impact in terms of securing full funding. We hope that you will consider volunteering for this important project. If you are interested, please contact Kennedy at The AIDS Institute at jkennedy@.... Include your name, organizational affiliation (if any), mailing address, phone number, email address, and the name of your U.S. Representative. Also include an estimate of how many cards to believe you will be able to get signed. We will mail the postcards out quickly and would need them signed and mailed back by March 14th. Thank you for support and assistance! KennedyThe AIDS InstituteTrevor StorrsAlaskan AIDS Assistance AssociationFred SchaichInternational Foundation for Alternative Research in AIDS, Inc. (IFARA)Ken FornataroAIDS Treatment Data Network ClaryProject Inform

Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.