AIDS Arms Inc. Pounds the Pavement for Life at 13th Annual LifeWalk in Dallas; Three Dallas Beneficiaries Named for 2003 Event.

Lifestyle Editors/Business Editors

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 25, 2003

AIDS Arms, Inc., the only Dallas-based agency providing both outpatient medical care and social service case management programs for persons diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, announced today this year's AIDS Arms LifeWalk beneficiaries include the AIDS Resource Center of Dallas, AIDS Services of North Texas, and Urban League of Greater Dallas and North Central Texas.

The 13th annual 3.2 mile Walk/Run will step off from City Hall Plaza on Saturday, October 4 at 9 a.m. Registration begins at 7 a.m.

"These agencies were chosen for their commitment to the North Texas region," Raeline Nobles, executive director of AIDS Arms, Inc. said. "So far in 2003, Dallas County reports 609 new HIV cases and 335 new AIDS cases. Every year we see the numbers increase regarding the number of HIV and AIDS cases in the area; however funding is critical to the success and longevity of providing services to those impacted by the disease. This event is vitally important to us and the agencies we support in the area. It is our only annual fundraising effort."

The Dallas County Department of Health recently announced 1,271 new HIV cases and 548 new AIDS cases were reported in Dallas County in 2002. In addition, according to the Texas Department of Health (TDH), Dallas County reported the highest numbers of new HIV positive individuals in the state in 2002, just ahead of Harris County who reported 1,212 new HIV cases.

African Americans, Hispanics, youth and women make up the fastest growing infection rates. In ranking of U.S. cities and HIV infection, Texas stands as #4 in the number of infected persons. AIDS Arms has served more than 1,500 individuals with case management and education needs in the past year in addition to more than 700 patients at the AIDS Arms Peabody Health Center, which is a 26 percent increase from the previous year.

"The HIV/AIDS epidemic persists in the Dallas community," Nobles says. "It's important to know your HIV status to help prevent the proliferation of the disease and it's important for our community to rally together to do their part by supporting this fun, family event."

AIDS Arms, Inc. was established in 1986 to assist individuals in accessing the healthcare, resources and support necessary to manage successfully the challenges of living with HIV/AIDS. The agency serves men, women, children and families affected by HIV and promotes effective and efficient access to care by reducing the barriers impacting an individual's ability to live a stable, progressive life. Services are structured to target Dallas-area HIV-positive individuals with emphasis on underserved groups, such as African-Americans, Hispanics, women and those with medical adherence issues.

The three beneficiary agencies oftentimes work in tandem with AIDS Arms and provide referral services to fill gaps not provided by the agency. The AIDS Resource Center of Dallas offers clients a help line, women's support group services, hot meals, nutrition and fitness programs in addition to HIV counseling and testing and a dental clinic. AIDS Services of North Texas is dedicated to decreasing the impact of HIV and AIDS in the rural communities of North Texas through prevention, care and advocacy programs including outpatient clinics, insurance assistance, housing assistance, nutrition centers, transportation, and prescription pick-up and delivery to name a few. The Urban League of Greater Dallas and North Central Texas focuses on risk reduction and disease prevention through education and intervention and offers community health education workshops on stress and how to deal with it, HIV/AIDS prevention, alcohol and substance abuse, gang violence, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and other preventable diseases.

Together with Luke's Locker, AIDS Arms LifeWalk will once again incorporate a sanctioned 5K Run to this year's event. Stepping off from the stairs of City Hall Plaza at 9 a.m., this 3.2-mile walk/run will take participants through the Latino Cultural Center, circle back through the downtown streets and end at City Hall Plaza.

Building a team for AIDS Arms LifeWalk is not only a fun activity, but also is a great way for an organization to support the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS in the metroplex. Teams also have the added bonus of potentially winning great prizes such as American Airlines tickets, dinners for the entire team, or hotel packages!

A minimum of 10 participants qualifies as a team. Each team must have an identified team captain and team name. Individuals are also welcome to participate in either the walk or run. There is a minimum $25 entry fee for each individual or team member.

Interested parties may request AIDS Arms to send a team captain information and registration packet or arrange for a representative to attend a meeting to discuss LifeWalk and how to build a membership team. For more information, please contact Denise Harper at 214-521-5191 ext. 314.

About AIDS Arms LifeWalk

AIDS Arms LifeWalk represents a significant portion of private and corporate donations to the agency and is vitally important to those impacted by the disease. Since its inception, AIDS Arms LifeWalk has given more than $4 million to Dallas-based programs that support men, women, children and families affected by the disease. AIDS Arms LifeWalk is an annual event dedicated to producing financial support for Dallas-based agencies that provide services to enhance the quality of life for those impacted by HIV/AIDS. Additionally, AIDS Arms LifeWalk seeks to focus public awareness on the importance of knowing personal HIV status and the availability of services for those infected or impacted by the disease.