A.N.G.E.L.S. aims to help with worldwide AIDS epidemic

AIDS Now Grasps Every Living Soul (A.N.G.E.L.S.) is taking part in AIDS Awareness Week Feb. 14-18 to help with the global AIDS epidemic.

A.N.G.E.L.S., co-founded by Director of Experiential Learning and Associate Professor of Government and Sociology Dr. Robin Harris, began June 6, 1996. Harris’ first-born son, Kenneth Brian O’Neal, passed away from AIDS-related complications, and A.N.G.E.L.S. began as a memorial to him.

“Every person who dies of AIDS is somebody’s child,” said Harris. “There are things you can do to be sure that your mother never shares a story similar to mine.”

As of 2003, there were 39.4 million people infected with HIV worldwide. An estimated 850,000-950,000 of these people live in the United States.

Based out of Macon, The A.N.G.E.L.S. Foundation is a non-profit agency which provides nutritional support for persons in the Middle Georgia area who are living with AIDS. They are currently feeding about 35 individuals in the area, including those who reside at Diversity House, which houses people with AIDS who would otherwise be homeless in Macon.

A.N.G.E.L.S. also feeds families in which one or more of the parents have AIDS and who are not capable of adequately feeding themselves or their children. They assist clients in Dublin, Cochran and Eastman.

Campus A.N.G.E.L.S. was established in 1997. The objective of this group is to educate the college and outlying community on HIV/AIDS related issues and sexual health education. However, the campus A.N.G.E.L.S. has not been as active as they have been in recent years.

“This is an important issue,” said Harris. “We’re trying to bring attention back to it.”

A.N.G.E.L.S. member Paul Grigsby said AIDS awareness is the key to the destruction of the deadly disease.

“I joined [A.N.G.E.L.S.] in order to make a difference in the struggle against AIDS, said Grigsby. “By contributing to AIDS awareness, I hope to alleviate the epidemic.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 4 2005. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry