Gift House and 24th Ward Alderwoman Sharon Denise Dixon Fighting HIV On the Frontline

Get Tested at The Gift House and Save Lives

Posted By Bill Hill

The first known cases of HIV in the United States occurred in the early 1980’s. As a result, large numbers of gay men in San Francisco and New York suddenly began to develop rare opportunistic infections and cancers developed that seemed stubbornly resistant to any conventional medical treatment. “Now over twenty years later, African Americans represents more than fifty percent of the new diagnosed cases of HIV/AIDS in the United States, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In spite of the many health departments HIV awareness campaign ads HIV rates in Chicago continues to augment. In many black communities such as, North Lawndale, Garfield, Austin, and Englewood HIV along with other STD’s are on the rise”, said Gift House’s Executive Director Bruce Jackson, MPH, MEd.

“If we plan to reduce the number of HIV infections in the black communities than it going to take more than a community effort we are going to need the help of every level of government”, stated Rosanna Jackson President of Gift House Inc a non-profit HIV/STD testing and counseling clinic in North Lawndale (located 1309 South Kedzie Ave.) “I’m telling you, the HIV situation in the African American community is not good. We are dying. For every one (1) white male infected with HIV there is eight (8) black male infected with HIV. It’s even worse for the African American women. For every one (1) white female infected with HIV there is twenty-five (25) black females infected with HIV. In other words all one has to do is simply go to North Lawndale, Austin, or Garfield and randomly count 50 black men and 8 of them would be HIV positive. Travel to the south side of the city and count 100 black women in the Englewood community, and 25 of them would be HIV positive. HIV is killing the African American community here in Chicago”, said Bruce Jackson.

On September 14, 2010, 24th Ward Alderwoman Sharon Dixon told government officials, civic leaders, students of After School Matters, and community residents at City Hall that she supports Gift House’s efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS, saying Gift House is truly a gift to the community.

^{Alderwoman Sharon Dixon, Gift House Executive Director Bruce Jackson, Teacher Sarah Robinson, EPIC Academy Principal Matthew King and After School Matters students Paul Sheridan, Ashley Wyatt and Angel Rodriguez.}

^{Promoting HIV awareness, from left to right, Mr. Mas Contractor, Ms. Sarah Robinson, Mr. Bruce Jackson, Mrs. Rosanna Jackson, Mr. Arnold Johnson, Alderwoman Sharon Denise Dixon, Mr. Roland Davis, Mr. Felix Moreno and Arq. Joel Heiniger.}

Come join the “Chicago Westside Health Symposium of Communities of Color” in concert with Gift House, Murphy Hill Gallery, Lawndale/Garfield Voice newspaper, Pathfinders, Struggle Dezign Co. and Global City Unity at 3333 w Arthington Street 3rd Floor Gallery, for a series of community HIV awareness events starting:

PROGRAM

For HIV and STD counseling and testing call the Gift House at (773) 522-2420 or visit our web site www.thegifthouse.org for services. Men 18-45 years old needed for HIV Vaccine research study. The Principal Investigator for this study is Dr. Richard M. Novak, Department of Medicine, 840 S. Wood. For more information, please call 800-575-5758, 312-413-5897 or email wish@uic.edu