I am writing today on behalf of the AIDS Treatment Activist Coalition (ATAC)  Budget and Finance Committee to ask for your support to ensure that we are able to continue with our mission.   ATAC is a national coalition of volunteer AIDS activists, many living with the virus, working together to end the AIDS epidemic by advancing research and access in HIV/AIDS.

Among ATAC’s past accomplishments have been: 1- Actively combating federal budget cuts for  AIDS Drug Assistance Programs that provide free medicines to thousands who could not afford them, 2- Advocating for research of multiple investigational agents for people with multiple drug resistance with declining health, 3- Meeting with pharmaceutical companies to ensure that their research studies are community sensitive and  include a representative proportion of women , people of color, and people with liver impairment, 4- Reviewing the current problems experienced by the incarcerated HIV population to effectively advocate for fair and humane treatment access and care,  5- Performing “ HIV Treatment Activism 101” trainings in different cities for local activists , 6- Advocating for fair expanded access programs and patient assistance programs for products that have been approved during the past 4 years, 7- Confronting pharmaceutical companies that price gouge HIV patients and their third party payers, and others.

To continue ATAC’s mission in the next few months, our volunteers will meet with members of Congress, the FDA, scientists, pharmaceutical corporations, prison authorities, community groups and other activists.  Your contributions of time and financial support are critical to the success of these efforts so that people like you can be sent to those important meetings, mentoring teach-ins can take place, conference calls and letter writing campaigns can be organized, and support to special targeted projects can be provided.

 

If you are not a member of ATAC and want to become part of this organization,  please fill out the application form located in our web site www.atac-usa.org.  If you are a member and can find some time to help us,  join a working group or a resource committee by following instructions provided in a monthly reminder email that we send to all members.  If it is within your means, please consider a donation.  Just $60 a year,  - only $5 a month - will help ATAC thrive as an independent, influential voice within the HIV/AIDS community.  You can also contribute any amount to show your support. Tax deductible contributions may be made by using PayPal at the ATAC home page (click on this link)AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition  or by sending a check to: ATAC, P.O. Box 1514, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY

 

There are other important reasons why your contribution is important.  To increase and diversify our funding, we have hired a contract grant writer to target foundations in the next few weeks. Most foundations give preference to organizations that have memberships that contribute financially. Furthermore, the IRS always sees diversity in funding as a good thing when evaluating non–profits that want to keep their 501( c ) 3 status current and valid.

 

This fight is as or more critical as it has ever been.  We have the spirit and the will to succeed.  Our challenge is to find the means to continue our efforts.  I hope you will offer what you can to ATAC’s volunteers so that everyone who needs life saving HIV treatments and care gets them regardless of their finances, background, race, gender, health status and personal circumstances.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Nelson Vergel

Chairman, Budget and Finance Committee

Steering Committee Treasurer

 

 

P.S.  If you would like to organize a fundraising special event for ATAC, please contact me at this email address.