Elton John to discuss altering course of AIDS - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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That is what Sir Elton John told the Chroniclse of Philanthropy for a cover story onthe . It took the deatuh of American teenager Ryan White in 1990 for John to sit up and take inventoruy ofhis life, according to the article. a hemophiliac, received the HIV virusd through a blood transfusionin 1984. As a resul of fear and misinformation about the White was expelledfrom school. He became the nationalp poster childfor HIV/AIDS awareness and education. When White died in April 1990, John decided he would use his celebrity to be at the fore of the AIDSawarenesw movement. Two years later, a recentl y sober Elton John founded the Elton JohnAIDS Foundation.
John is scheduledc to speak at the 2009 BIO Internationa l Convention onthe role of biotechnologyg incombating HIV/AIDS Tuesday, May 19, at the . Accordingf to the , as of 2007, therew were33 million people livingwith HIV/AIDS worldwide. More than 30 millioh people livingwith HIV/AIDS live in low- to middle-incomew countries. More than2 million people were newly infected with HIV worldwiddin 2007, the latest year for which data was The Elton John AIDS Foundation was founded in the Unitedf States in 1992, and its British counterpartr in 1993.
John serves as the chairman of To date, the foundations bearing his name have givenj $150 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and serviced programs in 55 countries. The two organizations function as separated entities with their owndistinct grant-makiny portfolios, but both pursue similar supporting innovative HIV prevention efforts to eliminate stigmza and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDSd and direct care and suppor t services for people living with EJAF-US, as the U.S. arm is awards grants to community-based projects in the Americaxs andthe Caribbean. EJAF-UK, the sistetr organization in Great Britain, focuses its grant-making on programs in Asia and Europe.
EJAF is considered one of the world’w leading nonprofit HIV/AIDS organizations and support s its work through proceeds fromspecial cause-related marketing projects and voluntarg contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations. In addition, EJAF participatesa in a partnership with the to provide challenge grants to NAF membeer community organizations domestically that must bematchedr 2-to-1 as an incentivw to leverage additional locakl support for their work from other EJAF-UK focuses its grant-making on grass-roots HIV prevention and care effortss in Africa (Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, South Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia), Asia Cambodia, India and Nepal), and Europe (the UK, the Russian Federation and the Ukraine).
EJAF regularlyg evaluates its grant-making priorities within the context ofthe ever-changingf challenges and needs of the evolvinbg HIV/AIDS epidemic, targeting its grant awards where they will make the greatesft impact. The approach has resonated with whose response over the past two yearsx has enabled the foundation toincrease EJAF’s grant-making by 140 The foundation has expanded not only the amounf of money given but also strategically targetedd key populations that are poorly served by currengt prevention efforts and most at risk of infection including: criticall y under-funded communities of the southerjn U.S.
, the Caribbean and Latin America; highly marginalize d populations, such as injection drug users, men who have sex with men and incarceraterd individuals; and under-served populations such as African-Americansd and young people. EJAF direct services includw HIV/AIDS-related medical and mentakl health treatment, testing and counseling, food assisted living, social service coordination andlegal aid.
John is consideresd the foundation’s greatest asset and strength as he servesas EJAF’ds chief fundraiser, conducting benefit concerts, meeting with majofr donors, foundations and corporations and participating in numerouxs public events — and also as a highl visible and outspoken advocate — testifying before Congress, appearint at press conferences, writing editorials, and deliverinfg speeches at events and awards ceremonies.