In just a month, thousands of people will converge on Central Park for AIDS Walk New York on Sunday, May 19 in solidarity, remembrance, and celebration.
Development Associate Thom Medrano, who coordinates teams and walkers, said he’s seeing a spike in registrations, as people hasten to sign up at AIDSWalkNY.org and start fundraising. Last year, more than 11,000 enthusiastic participants raised over $2.1 million to support GMHC’s lifesaving services for people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS. Medrano hopes to top that this year.
Every year, Medrano looks forward to working with Gold Teams, which are the top 25 fundraisers from the prior year. “It’s kind of like the Oscars for me,” he said. “I’m always excited to see who is back, and to welcome new teams who weren’t on our radar. It’s a thrill to help a team that comes out of nowhere to have a successful year.”
Gold Teams receive exclusive perks at the Walk, including an official AIDS Walk New York portrait with a team banner. “It’s something teams strive to be a part of,” Medrano said.
The teams are a microcosm of the New York community. Last year’s No. 1 team, MAC Cosmetics, raised over $91,000 and has been a Gold Team for over 20 years, Medrano said. GMHC itself is a perennial Gold Team, he added, raising almost $80,000 for the No. 3 spot.
The House of Xtravaganza, CandyWrappers, and New York City Gay Men’s Chorus are also stalwarts, along with OPEN Finance NYC, a coalition of LGBTQ+ employee groups from financial services firms such as Accenture, Bank of America, and Citi.
But there are always surprises. Recently, Burberry Represents “came on board and exploded, raising $25,000 last year,” Medrano said. Bergdorf Goodman, another new team, raised $17,000. “It’s so exciting to have them come in and do so well,” he said.
From church groups to The Salty Bitches, Gold Teams run the gamut. In fact, four of last year’s Gold Teams were churches, led by The Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the No. 4 spot. Another Gold Team, the Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, serving Harlem, was the highest fundraising sorority last year, collecting over $14,000.
This year, GMHC has partnered with WeWard to add a fun and healthful new fundraising option. By linking the WeWard app to their phone’s pedometer, teams and walkers can convert their steps into donations. WeWard will award prizes of $1,000 to $5,000 for teams who’ve walked the most steps or have the most participants during its #AIDSWALK competition from May 8 to May 22.
Medrano is available to assist all teams, no matter the size, in the final fundraising push before the Walk. It takes just five minutes to set up an online fundraising page at AIDSWalkNY.org, so donors can contribute quickly and securely. Reach him at (212) 807-9255 or awnyinfo@gmhc.org.
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