7th World AIDS Day Community and Fundraising Event | Arts & Culture

The South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council (SCHAC) celebrated our 17th anniversary of service during July 2011.  Currently our state ranks 9th and our capitol, Columbia, ranks 6th in the nation in the rate of AIDS.  As our nation moves toward health care reform, the important role of community based organizations has been minimized.  This is impacting our nation’s ability to identify and link individuals at high risk for HIV infection to medical care.  Moreover, our inability and/or unwillingness to focus on early interventions, cost the health care system billions, as many arrive at the doors of our hospitals and community health centers, sick with advanced disease.

On Saturday, December 3, 2011, the South Carolina HIV/AIDS Council will host the 7th World AIDS Day Community and Fundraising Event @ The Township Auditorium.  Our featured artists for this year will be the world renowned R&B and Jazz ensemble, Pieces of a Dream.  Our goal for this year is linked to our critical need to build a new vision for the future.  This educational and fundraising event will play an important role in our agency’s ability to overcome financial hardships and loss of critically needed prevention resources lost this year due to state budget cuts. 

Our country and state are facing devastating times economically.  More and more families are facing complex issues and many find themselves resorting to measures they never thought possible.  Our agency’s mission will continue to be one of hope and perseverance.  Now more than ever, it is our intention to serve as a shining example to those in despair to let them know, that hurdles can be overcome.  This event will be one of inspiration and a call to action, as our state and community wage war against the continued spread of HIV/STI’s.  SCHAC’s scope of services continues to play a vital role in the elimination of barriers that prevent us from stopping the unnecessary spread of HIV in South Carolina.  Our challenge is this community’s challenge, “to invest in the unalienable rights of people to live a healthy, happy, and complete life”.