GMHC Hosts Walk to the NYC AIDS Memorial

Commemorating the first meeting of Gay Men’s Health Crisis’ six founders and GMHC’s 35th Anniversary

New York, NY—On Wednesday, August 9, GMHC will host a walk to the NYC AIDS Memorial in commemoration the very first meeting of Gay Men’s Health Crisis’ six founders and their supporters on August 11, 1981. GMHC’s history can be traced to the very beginning of the AIDS epidemic, 36 years ago.

“On Tuesday, August 11, 1981, Nathan Fain, Larry Kramer, Larry Mass, Paul Popham, Paul Rapoport and Edmund White and their supporters gathered in Larry Kramer’s living room,” shared GMHC CEO Kelsey Louie. “They passed around a hat and raised roughly $7,000 in seed money to build what would become GMHC, the world’s first AIDS service organization. This heroic group of men bravely struggled to piece together a response to this developing plague, at a time when very little response was coming from government officials.”

This milestone anniversary recognizes GMHC’s legacy as the world’s first AIDS service organization and the beginning of the agency’s next chapter of providing comprehensive life-sustaining care to over 12,500 individuals living with and affected by HIV and AIDS each year. GMHC services include mental health and substance use services, education, supportive housing, meals and nutrition programs, HIV prevention and testing services, education, legal services, and public policy advocacy.

WHO:
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) leadership, clients, long-term survivors, and staff.

WHAT:
A GMHC Walk to the NYC AIDS Memorial

WHEN:
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
(Raindate: Thursday, August 10)

WHERE:
6:00 pm
Starting at: GMHC, 446 West 33rd Street
(Between 9th and 10th Avenues)

Walking to: The NYC AIDS Memorial
Greenwich Avenue at West 12th Street

6:45 pm (approx.): Brief remarks at the Memorial and group photo

BACKGROUND:
The NYC AIDS Memorial is located in Greenwich Village, which was the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic. The former St. Vincent’s Hospital, one block east of the new memorial, was home to the first “AIDS Wing” where thousands of patients died during the peak of the epidemic from 1981 to 1996. GMHC’s first offices were also located in Greenwich Village, first at West 22nd Street, then at West 20th Street and West 24th Street.

About Gay Men’s Health Crisis
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) is the world’s first HIV/AIDS service organization. GMHC is on the front lines providing services to over 12,000 people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Programs include: testing, prevention, nutrition, legal, supportive housing, mental health and substance use services. GMHC also advocates for stronger public policies at the local, state and federal level with the goal of ending AIDS as an epidemic. For more information, visit www.gmhc.org.