Genesee County Health Department
Better Life Through Better Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE:
January 24, 2006
KILL DATE:
February 28, 2006
Contact
Person: LaQueisa
Wilkerson, BS
Genesee County Health Department
PHONE:
(810) 257-3440
2nd
Annual Black AIDS Awareness Campaign
February 1 –
March 12, 2006
Committed to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS in the African
American community, the Genesee County Health Department
has worked in partnership with Clio Road McDonalds,
Jackson State University-Flint Alumni Chapter, University
of Michigan-Flint Urban Health & Wellness Center,
YOUR Center, and Planned Parenthood of East Central
Michigan in response to the 2nd Annual Black AIDS Awareness
Campaign. The 2nd Annual Black AIDS Awareness Campaign
will begin on February 1, 2006
(the beginning of Black
History Month) and conclude
March 12, 2006
. This time
frame allows for the sixth annual observance of National
Black HIV/AIDS Awareness & Information Day (
February
7, 2006 ) which
is a nationwide community mobilization effort designed
to encourage African Americans to GET EDUCATED! GET
TESTED! GET INVOLVED! and GET TREATED! It
also allows for the 17th Annual Black Church Week of
Prayer for the Healing of AIDS (
March 5-11, 2006
), which is the Balm in
Gilead
’s flagship program that works with faith institutions
to raise HIV/AIDS awareness in their congregations.
The Black AIDS Awareness Campaign provides a unique
opportunity for
Genesee
County
to fight HIV/AIDS in the Black community by encouraging
individuals to get educated about HIV/AIDS, get tested
and know their test results, and get involved in advocating
for resources necessary to fight this disease. With
the motivation of “Business as Usual Just Won’t Do,”
a local planning committee has come together in recognition
of the Black AIDS Awareness Campaign and initiated the
following activities:
Delta
Academy
HIV/AIDS Prevention for Female Adolescents
Date:
Thursday, February
2, 2006
Time:
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Location: Northwestern Preparatory Academy, G-
2138
West Carpenter Road , Flint
,
MI
48505
Activities: Interactive HIV/AIDS education, prevention & skills building
workshop for
female adolescents
Jackson State University (JSU) Flint Alumni Chapter HIV/AIDS Education &
Outreach Prevention Project: A Project Targeted on Today’s Youth
Date: Saturday,
February 4, 2006
Time: 9:00 am
– 3:00 pm
Location: Great Lakes
Baptist
Community
Technology
Center
, 4905 N. Saginaw
Street, Flint, MI 48505
Activities: Interactive HIV/AIDS education, prevention & skills building
workshop for
youth
McAwareness Night
Date:
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Time:
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: McDonald’s, 3212
Clio Road ,
Flint ,
MI ,
48504
Activities: Northwestern
Preparatory
Academy
vs. Northern High School Fundraiser,
HIV/AIDS outreach, education & testing information, raffles, give-a-ways,
entertainment and more
HIV/AIDS
Matinee
Date:
Monday, February 27, 2006
Time:
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Flint Family Road
,
711 N. Saginaw Street ,
Flint ,
MI
48503
Activities: HIV/AIDS related film and discussion group regarding film,
refreshments
and give-a-ways
The rate of persons living with HIV infection is almost
nine times higher among African Americans than whites
in
Michigan
. African-Americans
make up approximately 20 percent of
Genesee
County
’s general population,
yet almost half (49%) of the total HIV/AIDS cases reported
are among members of the Black community. Of the total
HIV cases reported in
Genesee
County
, 75 percent reside
in the city of
Flint
. If you or someone
you know would like to get tested for HIV and other
STD’s, visit the Genesee County Health Department Adult
Clinic. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday,
8:00 am – 11:00 am
&
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
, and Thursdays
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
. For more information
about Black AIDS Awareness Campaign activities and forthcoming
plans for Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing
of AIDS activities (
March 5-11, 2006
), contact
the Genesee County Health Department at (810) 257-3440
or visit our website: www.gchd.us.
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