PHOTO ESSAY BY DONNA ACETO | In its 31st annual AIDS Walk, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, the world’s first HIV services organization, drew a crowd of more than 30,000 to Central Park for a 10-kilometer hike to raise money to fight the epidemic.
At the conclusion of the May 15 event, the group estimated it had raised more than $4.5 million, which supports GMHC and more than 40 other community-based organizations serving those living with HIV and AIDS throughout the metropolitan area.
According to GMHC CEO Kelsey Louie, the annual event has raised a total of more than $145 million through its three-decade life.
GMHC provides prevention outreach, services, care, and advocacy for more than 9,000 clients annually, and a current focus of its efforts is encouraging HIV-negative people who believe they may be at risk for transmission to consider PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, which when taken as prescribed is highly effective at preventing infection.
