AIDS Resource Center Ohio opens office in Mansfield

by Russell Peguero-Winters

Mansfield, Ohio-AIDS Resource Center Ohio has announced that the grand opening of its Mansfield location will occur Monday, December 1.

Located in the Richland County Community Service Center building at 35 North Park Street in downtown Mansfield, this office offers convenient, accessible services to individuals infected or affected by HIV and AIDS.

The Mansfield office will provide HIVrelated case management, support services and other programs for a ten-county region extending from Marion on the west, to Coshocton on the east, and northward to Lake Erie. The Mansfield office expands ARC Ohio's network, which includes offices in Dayton and Lima.

As part of its grand opening, ARC Ohio, with the support of Abbott Laboratories, will be offering free Ora-Quick screening for HIV on World AIDS Day, December 1. This

convenient test allows individuals to receive results in less than half an hour.

"We are delighted to be opening a new office to serve those in north-central Ohio," said executive director Bill Hardy. "The introduction of the rapid HIV test is the first of many new resources we hope to introduce to those living in this region."

The OraQuick test will be available at the ARC Ohio Mansfield office on December 1 from 9 am to 4 pm. There is no appointment necessary for testing; however, each testing/ risk education session lasts approximately 45 minutes.

For more information, contact Russell Peguero-Winters at 937-461-2437 ext. 21 or rpeguerowinters@arcohio.org. You can also learn more information about the ARC Ohio organization and services through their website at www.arcohio.org.

Russell Peguero-Winters is the Director of Client Services for AIDS Resource Center Ohio.

Art/Action/AIDS continues

on to their next wave

by John Chaich

Cleveland-Last December, to commemorate World AIDS Day, the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland launched a social marketing campaign to reach gay men: Art/Action/AIDS.

Featuring original art by regional and national artists on full-color billboards, postcards and print ads every other month, the campaign aimed to raise awareness-if not eyebrows. One year later, it did both.

Distinction for Outreach; and Spaces Gallery hosted an exhibition of the campaign's products and process.

the

For World AIDS Day 2002, Art/Action/ AIDS presented its largest board-over 2,000 square feet above the Superior Viaduct, featuring a collage of self-portraits of young African American men in Brother2Brother program. Art/Action/AIDS will continue this message on this World AIDS Day and beyond. In 2004, it will launch new art to reach women. With feedback from HIV-positive women served by the Taskforce, it will engage women with inspiring images and messages.

Over 40,000 postcards were distributed throughout the community; banners of the art were featured at the Dancin' in the Street benefit; art by Liz Maugans was banned from billboard display, while WEWS Channel 5 documented the ironic juxtaposition of Douglas Lucak's photographs of men's nipples next to the omnipresent "Here's to Twins" billboard for Coors beer; Northern Ohio Live honored the campaign with its Award of AIDS.

From a billboard to the bedroom, to paraphrase the performance artist Rhodessa Jones, art may not save lives, but it may save souls.

John Chaich is the curator of Art/Action/

CAN has been providing PWAS housing for 13 years

by Amy Poole

Akron-Community AIDS Network has been providing housing for people with AIDS since 1990 with the opening of its first facility, Micah House.

Micah provided a safe, loving and protective environment for people who were displaced primarily because of their HIV status. Often, Micah was a place for people to live out their final days. Now with improved mortality due to medications, that facility is operated as transitional housing where residents may live while sorting through a myriad of issues, perhaps only one of those being HIV infection.

Four years later, in October of 1994, CAN opened the nation's first special section 811, with an exclusive designation of housing individuals and families living with HIV. A

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spacious and beautiful 15-unit apartment building offers one, two, and three bedroom apartments in a beautiful setting complete with a pond, a memorial garden and a playground for all residents to enjoy.

Additionally, CAN collaborates with the Housing Authority and private landlords to maximize the affordable, safe and well-maintained housing options available to clients. Finally, the Community AIDS Network also prides itself in the emergency rental and utility assistance provided when clients find themselves in a temporary bind.

For information about housing for people with AIDS in the Summit, Portage and Medina county areas, contact Community AIDS Network at 330-375-2000.

Amy Poole is the executive director of Community AIDS Network.

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