GMHC and Consumer Advisory Board To Host for New York's Elected Officials

What:
GMHC and its Consumer Advisory Board will host a welcome reception that offers elected officials the opportunity to learn more about its current services for people living with HIV/AIDS, HIV prevention and testing programs, key public policy priorities, and the state of HIV/AIDS epidemic in its 30th year.  A tour of the new office space will also be provided.

Who:

• GMHC Leadership:  Marjorie J. Hill, PhD, Chief Executive Officer; Ed Shaw, Co-Chair of the Consumer Advisory Board; Manny Rivera, Member of the Board of Directors and other Board Members
• Elected Officials confirmed (as of September 19):
  • Senators Ruth Hassell-Thompson and Bill Perkins
  • Assembly Members Deborah Glick, Richard Gottfried, Robert Rodriguez and Keith Wright
  • Council Members Gale Brewer, Danny Dromm, Robert Jackson, Brad Lander, Larry Seabrook and Jimmy Van Bramer

When:
Friday, September 23, 2011
10:00 am to 11:30 am

Where:
GMHC
446 West 33rd Street - 7th floor
(between 9th and 10th Avenues)
NYC

Why:
In late April, Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) moved to a new and expanded home consisting of 165,000 square feet of redesigned and renovated space. GMHC is expanding its wide range of services for nearly 11,000 New Yorkers affected by HIV/AIDS.  These services include health and nutrition education, legal, housing and mental health support, vocational training and case management.  With a new state-of-the-art kitchen and larger dining room, hot meals will be served to more clients. The Keith Haring Food Pantry Program will increase its capacity to provide grocery bags and nutrition counseling to more people in need.

The new location will enable GMHC to expand its services to meet the growing and complex needs of people affected by HIV/AIDS.  In this 30th year of the epidemic, HIV continues to rise at alarming rates — locally and nationally — particularly among women, African Americans, Latinos and men who have sex with men.

The HIV prevention and testing programs are being expanded in the new GMHC Center for HIV Prevention at 224 West 29th Street which will include a new youth leadership-development program.  The new Center for HIV Prevention will have a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, September 27, 9:00 am to 10:00 am.

Interviews and photo opportunities with GMHC's leadership and elected officials will be available.

***

GMHC is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS.  We provide prevention and care services to men, women and families that are living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS in New York City.  We advocate for scientific, evidence-based public health solutions for hundreds of thousands worldwide.