We Need Your Help With The State Budget!

The 2010 Legislative Session is a “short” one that began the second week of January, with the final gavel expected to come down on March 11th. The supplemental budget will be the focus this session as the Legislature returns to Olympia under the dark cloud of a $2.6 budget shortfall. In early December the Governor released a proposed budget that addressed the financial crisis by reducing or eliminating vital services and programs. The “all cuts” budget was not well received by the Legislature, the public, or even the Governor herself. During the first week of session the Governor submitted a “Book Two” budget that included a short list of program restorations equaling about $778.9 million. The Governor outlined a little over $101 million in revenue options (loopholes) and is expecting to receive additional resources through the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP). HIV/AIDS funding is partially restored by the Governor by $4.85 million.

Our goal for the Session is that as decisions are being made HIV/AIDS funding continues to be a priority of leadership. We have a variety of things in the works to keep the voices of HIV/AIDS loud and strong down in Olympia.

We have two fact sheets that you can download from GoogleDocs– one about Care services and funding and the other about Prevention. We will be passing these on to all the electeds down in Olympia, and ask that you forward them to your lists.

Usually, we only do an AIDS Action & Awareness Day every two years, but because of the severe nature of the potential cuts, we are activating a Virtual A3D this year on February 10th. In preparation for that, you can download the A3D Letter template that we have created. We are hoping to get folks from around the state to fill in their own comments and info and return the letters to us. We need your help to do this – please pass the blank letter along to every one you know - we’d like to have as many legislative districts in the state represented as possible!
Letters can be emailed back to advocate@llaa.org or mailed to Lifelong, 1002 E Seneca, Seattle WA 98122. We will collate them and distribute them in person to the appropriate Legislator on February 10th. Also on that day we will be conducting a variety of online activities instead of gathering everyone in Olympia. Look for more information in the next week or so.

If you haven’t signed up for the Communities in Action Network, please do so at http://www.cannetwork.net/. You can also follow our twitter at www.twitter.com/aidsactionday.

Do let me know if you have any questions. It is our collective voices being raised that will help protect the funding for the critical services we provide.

Yours in solidarity,

Erick Seelbach
Director of Prevention, Education, and Public Policy
Lifelong AIDS Alliance

Lifelong takes fight against HIV/AIDS to South Africa

Lifelong is proud to be a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS here in Seattle and equally proud to participate in international HIV/AIDS-relief efforts through our membership in ANSA (Association of Nutrition Services Agencies). Through ANSA, we support the innovative efforts of South African nonprofit Ikamva Labantu, which serves children and adults impacted by HIV/AIDS.

In mid-October, Lifelong’s Executive Director David Richart, Board President Eric Snow and Washington State Senator Ed Murray were able to witness Ikamva Labantu’s pioneering work first-hand. Richart, Snow and Sen. Murray met with Ikamva Labantu staff to learn about new programs, including a pilot launching next year aimed at preventing mother-to-baby infection through breast milk.

“The prevention of mother-to-child infection through breast milk is critical to stemming new cases of HIV in developing countries,” said Richart. Richart, Snow and Sen. Murray also spent a significant amount of time in the field visiting South African townships that have been ravaged by HIV/AIDS. More than 5 million South Africans are living with HIV and AIDS and an estimated 250,000 people in the country died from AIDS last year. Hundreds of thousands of children have been left orphans by HIV/AIDS.

“We’re proud to support Ikamva Labantu’s prevention efforts and their work supporting HIV/AIDS orphans in South Africa,” said Richart.

Welcome to the Chicken Soup Brigade Kitchen!

Chicken Soup Brigade, Lifelong's Food Program, is a leader in improving the nutritional health of people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses in the greater Seattle area.  CSB currently packs over 1,000 bags of groceries and distributes over 2,500 meals each week.  We couldn't do it without the help of our 150+ weekly CSB volunteers! 

There are many opportunities to volunteer with Chicken Soup Brigade. 

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  Food Delivery:  Deliver fresh meals and groceries to homebound clients
  
  
  
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  CSB Kitchen & Warehouse:  Prepare meals, sort food donations, and bag groceries
  
  
  
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  Care To Shop:  Collect food donations through our weekly food drive at partner grocery stores
  
  
  
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  Pick-Up Center:  Pack and distribute groceries and meals
  
  
  

Check out our website for more info: http://lifelongaidsalliance.org/volcsb.

New Year, New Blog

Lifelong AIDS Alliance is excited to announce the launch of our brand new agency blog!

We’ll be using our blog to regularly update you about the work we’re doing in our shared community as well as share information and knowledge regarding the worldwide HIV/AIDS crisis.

You can expect to see:
• HIV/AIDS breaking news
• Client stories
• Program updates and info
• Urgent calls-to-action
• Life-changing volunteer opportunities
• Tons of photos
• Delicious and nutritious Chicken Soup Brigade recipes
• Behind-the-scenes at Gay Bingo and other events
• And so much more!

We look forward to sharing our stories with you.

Sustaining Lives...Offering Hope