March 17, 2011

Celebrity Doodles, a charity event, to benefit Desert AIDS Project with auction of celebrity "Doodles", Art and Memorabilia. Click here for more information. (jl)

Tuesday, April 5, 6:30 PM

Positive Life Series

The next Positive Life Program will be Tuesday, April 5, at the Sinatra Auditorium at Desert Regional Hospital, Palm Springs (on the corner of Tachevah & Miraleste). Dr. John Stansell MD, well-known HIV specialist, and activist Jeff Taylor, will give an update on all the new drugs and treatments presented at the 18th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston. A light supper is served beginning at 6:00 PM, and the program begins at 6:30 PM. ASL translation provided. Program sponsored by Jewish Family Service of the Desert. Contact Jeff Taylor at jefftaylorps@gmail.com or 760.835.1926 for more information. (rv)(jl)

Thursday April 14, 2011

"Dinner at My Place"

"Dinner at My Place" is an array of privately hosted parties, each individually and smartly planned. Scrumptious food, drink, and fun conversation, in addition to appealing themes and sometimes even celebrities and entertainers will greet each guest. Click here for more information on this unique and fun way to support D.A.P. (jl)

Community Center Events

There are special events happening in the Community Center each week. This week's featured event is listed below. For an in-depth view of other events, just click GO.

Wednesdays, 2:00 PM, 4/20, 5/18, 6/15

Diabetes

Community Center Presents -

DIABETES EDUCATION

The D.A.P. Community Center is pleased to announce this workshop on all aspects of diabetes treatment with certified diabetes educator Mary Knipe MS, RD, CDE. For more information, contact her at 949.244.9464. The class meets in the Walgreen's Room on designated Wednesdays at 2:00 PM. Know your body!

There are also recurring Community Center activities each week including:

Friday Night Bingo
Reconnective Energy Healing
Steve Chase Ticket Raffle
Pozitively Positive
Spiritual Living 101
Hepatitis C Therapy Education
Chair Massage
Diabetes Educatiion
Community Center Computer Lab
Lending Library

Every Thursday, 1:00 PM

Community Center Presents - LET'S ALL GO TO THE MOVIES

Please join us in the D.A.P. Community Center for movie screenings every Thursday starting at 1:00 PM. Free pizza, salad, sweets, and drinks provided.

To see the Community Services Wing calendar of support groups and events. GO

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D.A.P. News

Tickets are still available for "Celebrity Doodles"

"Celebrity Doodles" is an auction of original art and "doodles" created by some of the world's most popular celebrities, including Rosie O'Donnell, Kathy Griffin, Suzanne Somers, Del Shores, and many more. All proceeds from the auction will benefit Desert AIDS Project. Tickets for both the "Celebrity Doodles" Event and VIP Preview Party are $125 and tickets for just the Saturday "Celebrity Doodles" event are $90. More information and tickets are available at www.celebritydoodles.com. (jl)

HIV Provider Network's first annual HIV conference

Desert AIDS Project is proud to be part of the HIV Provider Network and is participating in "Transcending HIV" a free HIV conference being held on Saturday April 9, 2011 at The Annenberg Center for Health Sciences on Eisenhower Medical Campus. The conference is open to providers and community members/clients and will include experts from Desert AIDS Projects and various other organizations. Topics will include HIV and bone health updates, HIV/HCV coinfection, anal PAP, and more. Registration will begin at 8:30 AM and the program will run from 9:00 AM until approximately 4:00 PM. Free breakfast and lunch will be provided. Follow this link for more information and registration. (jl)

Latino Support Group - 1st and 3rd Thursdays, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

latino group

Gift helps continue free and confidential HIV testing

The Clark Trust made a $50,000 gift to Desert AIDS Project for the purpose of HIV prevention, education, and testing. James Clark, deceased in 2009, had a long history of helping people in need, including his co-workers, women seeking help from abusive relationships, and children of colleagues. Because he enjoyed supporting others who participated in the Palm Springs AIDS Walk and other causes that directly impacted individual lives, his trust administrators felt Desert AIDS Project was a worthy recipient of this bequest. (jl)

Advocacy

You can take an important step to ensure services stay intact at D.A.P.

activism The Client Advocacy Committee (CAC) at Desert AIDS Project is a group of D.A.P. clients who endeavor to help D.A.P. improve services to clients through client suggestions, advocate for funding for all people with HIV/AIDS, and educate and increase awareness of services offered to clients through D.A.P.

The CAC is currently recruiting new members for subcommittees that will:

review monthly suggestion box contributions;
create open forums for clients to offer input;
organize town hall meetings;
maintain the CAC bulletin board at D.A.P.
contribute articles for the DAPCAN newsletter.

Applications are available at the main reception desk. Potential members may also apply by attending CAC meetings on the first Tuesday of each month at 2:00 PM in the D.A.P. Community Center or by emailing the CAC secretary at Cletus.Warren@yahoo.com. (jl)

Take a survey, get free groceries, maybe win a laptop

The survey is a health awareness survey that takes 15-60 minutes to complete, depending on your responses. Results from the survey will help San Bernardino County Public Health, Riverside County Public Health, and the Inland Empire HIV Planning Council plan for HIV prevention, testing, and care services in the two counties. At the end of the survey, respondents can register for a free $10.00 Stater Brothers gift card and also enter a drawing to win one of two laptops. The survey is open through April. Click on this link for more info. (jl)

Show your support for the Affordable Care Act

Next week we will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of the most significant expansion of health care coverage, made possible last year by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But our celebration may be short-lived as the vital protections and reforms in the new law are under attack by members of Congress who want to repeal or defund the entire bill or strip away key provisions. Sign on to support the ACA and reject repeal efforts. It literally takes just seconds! (jl)

HIV / AIDS News

Does Community Viral Load (CVL) impact infection rates?

This time last year, at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), Dr Moupali Das of the San Francisco Department of Public Health presented evidence to show that the city's intensive testing and treatment policy was beginning to result in a declining HIV infection rate there. Similar evidence was presented from the province of British Columbia in Canada. The evidence presented still leaves some questions unanswered however and the answers to these questions are crucial as the future direction of HIV prevention policy may depend on them. Perhaps the most compelling issue is whether to concentrate on suppressing viral load or on behavior change as the mainspring of prevention. Read more here. (jl)

The Life Group LA POZ Life Weekend seminar in Pasadena

POZ Life Weekend is a free healing and transformational workshop for people with HIV/AIDS and their loved ones and the April seminar brings another great line-up of amazing presenters. Topics include drug treatment options, disclosure, relationships, insurance and public benefits, sero-different relationships, nutrition and HIV, sex and intimacy, and so much more! To register, log onto www.TheLifeGroupLA.org for online reservation form and they will contact you to complete your registration, or call Sunnie Rose at 888-208-8081. The POZ Life Weekend is a re-affirming weekend seminar you will never forget! (jl)

Benefits

AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) phone numbers

The ADAP program for Riverside County has a new fax number. Clients who prefer can fax their verifications into the Moreno Valley office at 951.486.4434. You can also contact the County of Riverside directly at 951.486.5400 to make an ADAP appointment or ask questions regarding the ADAP Program. (jl)

Call 211 for essential human services in Riverside County

2-1-1 is a toll-free service for residents looking for information about essential human services such as affordable housing, food pantries, help for an aging parent, free or low cost health services, addiction prevention programs, employment, support groups, volunteer opportunities, and 1700 additional services! (jl)

Quote of the Week

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go"
- Oscar Wilde

To Contact State and Federal Officials Click On Name

President Barack Obama
Senator Diane Feinstein
Senator Barbara Boxer
Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack
Congressman Jerry Lewis
Governor Jerry Brown
State Senator Bill Emmerson
State Senator Juan Vargas
Assembly member Brian Nestande
Assembly member Manual Perez

Desert AIDS Project - Community Action Newsletter (DAPCAN) presents published material, reprinted with permission, and neither endorses or opposes any material. All information contained in this newsletter, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. Always discuss treatment options with a physician who specializes in treating HIV. Publication of the name or likeness of any individual in articles in this newsletter is not to be construed as any indication of the HIV status of such individual. If you do not wish to receive this e-newsletter, please notify us by using the email address below.

For questions, comments, or unsubscribe contact us at : DAPCAN@DesertAIDSProject.org

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