AIDS Walk Philly: Funding Housing for People Living With HIV Disease

photo courtesy of Cari Feiler Bender

On October 20, AIDS Fund’s 38th annual AIDS Walk Philly raises crucial funds to keep the most vulnerable people living with HIV in the Philadelphia region healthy and housed. AIDS Walk Philly is the region’s largest annual HIV/AIDS public awareness and fundraising event. 

Walkers, virtual walkers, and supporters of AIDS Walk Philly are a lifeline for the most vulnerable people living with HIV disease. Funds raised at the AIDS Walk Philly support AIDS Fund’s From All Walks of Life Fund, which gives vital small grants (averaging just $440) to the most vulnerable of those living with HIV: Those who find their health threatened because of impending evictions or the loss of health insurance or utilities.

“AIDS Walk brings together friends, family, and neighbors for a morning of movement and meaning,” said Robb Reichard, Executive Director of AIDS Fund. “We all know someone who died in the AIDS crisis and while you may not personally know anyone currently living with HIV disease, they are our neighbors and our friends. This event goes a long way to support them through the ups and downs of their healthcare journeys.”

The 5k walk starts in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and winds through scenic Kelly Drive. Registration and the Reading of Names begins at 7 a.m., with the opening ceremony at 8 a.m. at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, followed by an aerobic warm-up. The Walk begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes with a closing ceremony at 10 a.m. Entertainment by Dukes of Destiny, Philadelphia’s longest-lived and best loved blues act, welcomes walkers upon their return to the Art Museum steps.

Emcees and guest speakers attending the ceremony include Cherri Gregg of WHYY, Pierre Robert of WMMR, Mutha Knows of Power99, Loraine Ballard Morrill of iHeartMedia, and Valeria Aponte Feliciano of Telemundo62.

There are two ways participants can be involved in AIDS Walk Philly:

• 5k Walker: Be a Lifeline for people living with HIV disease by registering as a 5K Walker. Walkers are encouraged to raise at least $50 so they can receive their official AIDS Walk Philly 2024  t-shirt and walk along the route on October 20.
  
• Volunteer: AIDS Walk Philly requires the help of volunteers to make the event safe and successful. Visit the volunteer page for more information about volunteer opportunities. Many volunteers choose to double their impact by fundraising as well as donating their time.

Supporters can register or get additional information at www.aidswalkphilly.org or call 215-731-WALK.  Participants who raise at least $50 will receive an AIDS Walk t-shirt, and those who raise $250 will receive an AIDS Walk t-shirt and an additional gift. A Limited Edition “500 Club” sweatshirt is given to those who raise $500. Raise $1,000 and receive a distinctive AIDS Walk Philly 2024 jacket.

The 38th Annual AIDS Walk Philly is sponsored by Medi-Dose and Univest Financial.

AIDS and HIV Statistics

• 18,658 people in Philadelphia are currenting living with HIV disease
  • Nearly 400 new people contract the disease each year within the city
  • Homelessness among people living with HIV disease increased during the pandemic
• Black and Latino Philadelphians are disproportionately impacted by HIV disease.
• The percentage of people who are living with HIV who are unhoused nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021. This increase disproportionately affected Black people living with HIV disease.
• According to the CDC, 18% of people living with HIV disease report unstable housing or homelessness, 42% had a disability, and 33% live below the poverty line.

In addition to the annual AIDS Walk, AIDS Fund’s Black-Tie GayBINGO and monthly GayBINGO events raise vital funds for HIV/AIDS emergency financial assistance and HIV awareness efforts. Learn more.

About AIDS Walk Philly In 1987, volunteers from Philadelphia’s lesbian and gay community center decided to organize a walk-a-thon to support area AIDS agencies and raise public awareness about the disease.  The Greater Philadelphia Region’s first AIDS Walk had about 1,000 participants and raised $33,000.  Since then, thousands of fundraising walkers have gathered each year to participate in the region’s largest annual HIV/AIDS public awareness and fundraising event.  Participants in AIDS Walk Philly have raised over $18.5 million for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

About AIDS Fund
AIDS Fund provides emergency financial assistance to people living with HIV disease in the Greater Philadelphia region, while providing education and increasing public awareness of HIV/AIDS issues. To support these efforts, AIDS Fund produces a variety of fundraising and awareness programs throughout the year, including AIDS Walk Philly, GayBINGO, Black-Tie GayBINGO, and Workplace Giving Campaigns. AIDS Fund partners with the National AIDS Memorial, curating panels of The AIDS Memorial Quilt for a local audience. The 38th Annual AIDS Walk Philly will take place on Sunday, October 20, 2024. Contact AIDS Fund at 215-731-9255 or www.aidsfundphilly.org. Follow AIDS Fund on Facebook at AIDSWalkPhilly or GayBINGOPhilly and on Instagram @AIDSWalkPhilly and @GayBINGOPhilly.