The High Point-Thomasville chapter of the American Red Cross has embarked on an effort to increase HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
With a $13,814 grant from Guilford Community AIDS Partnership, the chapter has expanded its HIV prevention emphasis in Guilford County through a new program titled "One Message, Many Voices."
The program includes instructor level training and free one -- to two-hour HIV Prevention sessions.
"We want to train people who are interested in spreading the word about AIDS to be instructors," said Joanne Muire, the chapter's HIV/AIDS coordinator. "Then, they go back into their communities or their congregations.
"We want to try to raise HIV/AIDS awareness. We want to help prevent the spread of HIV. We also want to treat those who are infected and affected as compassionately as possible and offer them our support and love. They're often shunned and discriminated against."
The four-day instructor training classes will be April 20-23. The classes normally cost $125, but thanks to the grant, they will only cost $25 for county residents. Non-county residents will be charged the full $125 fee.
The 12-month cycle that the grant helps finance began Jan. 1, Muire said. She hopes it will evolve into an annual grant.
"We want to train a minimum of 40 instructors with this grant," she said. "We hope to reach 1,500 people with the HIV prevention program this year."
The instructors will be available to visit various venues such as churches, youth organizations, nonprofit agencies, recreation centers or senior centers.
"This is a sensitive topic, and we will tailor our talk according to their guidelines," Muire said. To see more of the High Point Enterprise, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.hpe.com. Copyright (c) 2009, High Point Enterprise, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2009, High Point Enterprise, N.C.