Founded in 1983, AIDS Action Committee (AAC) of Massachusetts is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the HIV/AIDS epidemic by preventing new infections and optimizing the health of those already infected. Based in Boston, it is New England's oldest and largest AIDS service organization.

AIDS Action provides free, confidential services to more than 2,500 men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS as well as prevention services to thousands of men, women and youth who are not living with HIV or do not know their status.

[edit] Advocacy

AIDS Action Committee advocates for fair and effective HIV/AIDS policy at the city, state and federal levels, focusing on science-based prevention, racial and ethnic health disparities, privacy and confidentiality, and funding. AAC also works with AIDS Action Council, which advocates primarily on the national level for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

[edit] Client Services

AIDS Action Committee provides direct services to people living with HIV in Massachusetts, including housing advocacy, legal services, drug & alcohol support and support groups.

[edit] Prevention

The Prevention Department at AIDS Action Committee provides a range of prevention and education activities designed to reduce new HIV infections, focusing on HIV prevention grounded in public health, targeted to specific populations, and not based in shame, guilt, or fear. As part of its prevention efforts, AAC operates the statewide HIV & STD hotline for both Massachusetts and Rhode Island and the Massachusetts hepatitis hotline.

AAC's community prevention outreach includes the MALE (Men's Action Life Empowerment) Center, a community resource and wellness center that integrates community outreach, life-skills education and empowerment activities, HIV safer-sex skills-building, and HIV counseling and testing for gay and bisexual men.

AAC also works with other community organizations and schools to educate youth about sexual health.

[edit] Funding

In addition to grants from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and other entities, AAC diversifies its funding through fundraising events, like the annual AIDS Walk, Boston's second largest walk. AIDS Action also receives 100% of the funds raised by Boomerangs, its award-winning resale store in Jamaica Plain.

[edit] External links

• AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
• HIV Health Library
• The MALE Center
• Boomerangs Resale Store
• Historical Records of the AIDS Action Committee are available in the Archives and Special Collections of the Northeastern University Libraries in Boston, MA.