Thanks for visiting my fundraising page! As you might already know, I'm a Social Welfare graduate student, and the Community Engagement Intern at the Albany Damien Center. We've been hard at work planning this year's AIDS Walk & Festival, and I would be so grateful for your support! 

The Albany Damien Center is a community resource center offering crucial supports to people living with HIV/AIDS in the NYS Capital Region and beyond, promoting wellness, reduced viral loads, and outreach to prevent new infections. While HIV is no longer a death-sentence, there is still a lot of work to be done to increase education and preventative measures, access to medication and care, and reducing stigma. 

I've been an intern at the Damien Center since late August 2018, and since then have continued to be impressed by its rich history and growth. The Damien Center survived a fire in 2013, and in 2017, prevailed as a new, state of the art drop in space complete with 20 apartments for chronically homeless community members with HIV/AIDS. In my time here I have enjoyed learning about its authentic community engagement, member-focused programming, and uplifting agency spirit. The level of services for this often stigmatized population offer dignity, stability, and opportunity for growth. 

Money raised for the AIDS Walk & Fesitval will directly fund the agency's innovative programs, helping to provide life-saving resources and a sense of community for an often stigmatized population. Check out www.albanydamiencenter.org for more information on program offerings, or just shoot me a message! 

I appreciate your help, as does the entire Damien Center community. 

-Nick 

The AIDS Walk & Festival is a community event in Washington Park to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS and raise money to help people living with and affected by the disease. This inspiring event calls on people of all ages and backgrounds to come together and learn how we can End the AIDS Epidemic in New York once and for all!

The event will be fun-filled, informative, and family friendly, with a scavenger hunt walk, free food and entertainment, community resources and local businesses, and much more. All donations support the programs and services at the Albany Damien Center.