Dear friends and cherished supporters,

I am inviting you to join us for a special event for World AIDS Day, on November 26, 2018. Our event is called Remembering our History and Building our Future, where we will be remembering those who we have lost but also focusing on building a stronger tomorrow. People with HIV are living longer and moving towards the goal of 90-90-90 and beyond that to a better quality of life.

The UNAIDS has set a goal of achieving what they call 90-90-90 by the year 2020. This refers to 90% of people with HIV will know their status, 90% of people with HIV will receive antiretroviral therapy and 90% of people receiving antiretroviral therapy will achieve viral suppression. ACAS is also looking beyond this to a 4th 90, which we define as quality of life. Besides social determinants of health, ACAS will focus on reducing social isolation, increasing social connections, living a more balanced life and adopting more positive attitudes and behaviors. We have developed a network of resources through our programs including life peer coaches, our “A Sip of C.A.R.E.” initiative, the S.L.A.M. forum and other programs such as Ontario Positive Asians and Pillow Talk.

We have invited brave female speakers to share their stories for the first time. This will be a great opportunity to learn about their challenges and successes as they take you through their journeys. We will also have a family member discuss their feelings and thoughts when they found out their loved ones were diagnosed with HIV. To celebrate ACAS 25th Anniversary coming up next year, we have a longstanding affiliate who will share how ACAS has evolved throughout the years and adapted to serve the needs of this community.

While reaching 90-90-90 is an ambitious objective, ACAS along with cherished sponsors and donors have been committed to achieving this goal. Please come and join us for this intimate evening while you have an opportunity to engage with our service users and community. The family at Lisa Marie Gastropub has shown exceptional dedication and support to our community. Last year they hosted and mentored a novel popup restaurant where people with HIV acted as chefs.

Please find the link below to purchase a ticket, your support is always appreciated. There is very limited space available. Please feel free to contact ACAS if you have any questions.

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/asian-community-aids-services/events/worlds-aids-day-2018/

Sincerely yours,

Kenneth Poon

Health Promotion Coordinator

(647) 278-3835