Coronavirus (COVID-19) Closures and Update

MoMA Temporarily Closes Museums and Stores in New York

MoMA announced today that it will close The Museum of Modern Art on 53rd Street, MoMA PS1 in Queens, and the MoMA Design Stores on 53rd Street and in Soho, effective immediately and through March 30. MoMA will continue to monitor developments with COVID-19 and regularly reassess this temporary closure.

Glenn D. Lowry, The David Rockefeller Director of The Museum of Modern Art, said: “Nothing is more important to MoMA than the health and safety of our community. We take seriously our responsibility as a civic institution to serve the public good. With that in mind, as it is more and more challenging to predict the impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we have decided to temporarily close MoMA.”

MoMA has been prepared for this possibility for several weeks and made the decision in ongoing consultation with public health experts, city and state officials, peer institutions, and the Boards of The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 among MoMA employees. Plans are in place to continue to support employees and MoMA’s better than best practice cleaning and sanitization protocols.

MoMA plans to re-open at the first opportunity that ensures the health and safety of all visitors and employees.

All Events at Carnegie Hall from Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 31, 2020 are Cancelled

All March events cancelled in effort to reduce spread of COVID-19

With the health and safety of its public, artists, and staff as its foremost priority, Carnegie Hall today announced that it will be closed for all public events and programming through the end of March, effective midnight tonight, in an effort to reduce the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).

All events and programming at Carnegie Hall from Friday, March 13 through Tuesday, March 31, 2020 have been cancelled. For a list of performances at Carnegie Hall that are affected, please see the attached list or click here. Carnegie Hall events on Thursday evening, March 12 will take place as scheduled.

Upcoming education programming presented by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute—whether taking place at Carnegie Hall or in off-site locations—is suspended through March 31. All free Carnegie Hall Citywide performances in venues throughout New York City are cancelled through March 31.

All other scheduled concerts and programming starting on April 1, 2020 and beyond remain on the schedule pending the reopening of Carnegie Hall. The general public is encouraged to check carnegiehall.org/events for the most up-to-date programming information.

Patrons who purchased tickets by credit card from Carnegie Hall for a performance that has been canceled will receive automatic refunds; those who purchased by cash at the Box Office may email a scan or photo of the tickets to feedback@carnegiehall.org, along with complete contact details (name, mailing address, and phone number), through June 30, 2020, for a refund. Those who purchased tickets directly from other concert presenters should contact that presenter for refund information.

Patrons who have any further questions should contact CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800 or email feedback@carnegiehall.org. Please note that email and call volume may be high with limited in-house staff, and tickets may be refunded on a delayed schedule. We thank you for your patience as we navigate this evolving situation together.

Asian Art Museum, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Announce Temporary Closure Effective March 14, 2020

The Asian Art Museum, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF), comprising the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) collaboratively announce a temporary closure to the public effective at 5 pm PST on Friday, March 13. With their united focus on the health and safety of their visitors and staff members, the museums made this decision to align with local and federal guidelines and social distancing recommendations for the containment of the coronavirus.

The Asian Art Museum and SFMOMA will tentatively reopen to the public on Saturday, March 28, 2020, and the FAMSF museums will reopen on Tuesday, March 31, 2020. The museums will individually evaluate whether the closure timeframe needs to be extended.

ASIAN ART MUSEUM

The closure of the Asian Art Museum includes the museum, its café (Sunday at the Museum) and its store. More information can be found at asianart.org.

FINE ARTS MUSEUMS (FAMSF)

Both the de Young and the Legion of Honor, including museum cafes and stores, will be closed. Please find the most up-to-date information at deyoungmuseum.org/coronavirus-response.

SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (SFMOMA)

SFMOMA’s closure includes the museum, its restaurants (In Situ, Cafe 5 and Sightglass coffee bars), stores (museum and SFO store) and the Artists Gallery at Fort Mason. For the most up-to-date information including information on rescheduling a visit, go to sfmoma.org/coronavirus-update.

REI launches multiday active vacations in Shenandoah National Park and first international backpacking trip in Patagonia

Travel leader also introduces Norway and Slovenia adventures, expands cycling and Grand Canyon collections

REI Co-op‘s adventure travel company has introduced its first active trips in Shenandoah National Park, along with new trips in Norway and Slovenia. The global leader in small group active travel also announced its first international backpacking trip in Patagonia and continued expansion of its Grand Canyon and cycling collections.

REI Co-op Logo (PRNewsFoto/REI) (PRNewsfoto/REI Co-op)

“We intentionally design every active adventure to connect with local communities in a meaningful way that only REI can offer,” said Mark Seidl, REI divisional vice president of Experiences. “By doing so, we want our guests to gain a broader perspective of the world and be transformed through the experience.”

National Park Expansion: Shenandoah and Grand Canyon
Created in 1925, Shenandoah National Park was one of the first national parks in the eastern United States. Three REI itineraries are now available – a multi-sport Shenandoah National Park Adventure, Shenandoah Lodge-to-Lodge Hiking and Shenandoah National Park Weekend Cycling. All trips are four days in length with departures during spring blossoms through fall’s vibrant colors. Next month, REI will add a four-day Shenandoah backpacking trip to the collection.

Building on REI’s widely popular North America backpacking trips, the travel leader is introducing its first international itinerary to explore the undiscovered heart of Patagonia’s remote and rugged beauty. Pictured: Backpacking Patagonia – Fitz Roy and Los Glaciares National Park. https://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/latin/patagonia-argentina-backpacking.html

On REI’s multisport trip, guests hike to Shenandoah’s highest point and through deep caverns with streams and anthodite formations, zipline through the treetops, and float down the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Star-filled evenings at camp are complete with hearty meals to refuel guests. The company’s lodge-to-lodge itinerary hikes a section of the Appalachian Trail from the doorsteps of iconic lodges that boast unique histories. The company’s cycling weekend stays at charming inns and lodges, providing a welcome reward from vigorous daily rides of 40 to 60 miles along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Adding to REI’s postcard-perfect national parks adventures is its expansion in the Grand Canyon. The company recently added six itineraries for a total of 14 adventures Grand Canyon National Park that range from three to eight days of hiking, backpacking and cycling. With so many options, adventurers can confidently select a trip based on his/her available time, interests and ability.

Backpacking Patagonia – Where Nature Reigns Supreme
Building on REI’s widely popular North America backpacking trips, the company is introducing its first international itinerary to explore the undiscovered heart of Patagonia’s remote and rugged beauty. On Backpacking Patagonia – Fitz Roy and Los Glaciares National Park, the eight-day adventure starts in the small outpost of El Chalten known as the region’s trekking capital. Guests hike through meadows and lenga forests, across moraines and glaciers, and up to breathtaking vistas. A trip highlight is a trek past iceberg-laden bays and over high passes to reach the unparalleled views of the second-largest non-polar ice mass in the world.

The co-op now offers seven itineraries in Patagonia ranging in length from seven to 13 days for hiking, cycling, kayaking and volunteer trail maintenance to protect the famous “W” trail.

New Europe trips: Norway and Slovenia
Known as the “land of the midnight sun” because one-third of the country is in the Arctic Circle, REI is expanding its classic Norway offering with the launch of two more itineraries – Norway Lofoten Islands Hiking and Norway Fjords Cycling. The nine-day archipelago hiking trip offers unparalleled beauty as guests hike up glacier-carved mountains to the reward of epic views, kayak “little Hawaii,” and experience life in remote fishing communities. Highlights also include a cruise through one of the country’s steepest and narrowest fjords in search of Europe’s largest eagle, a visit to the outermost and wildest islands of Værøy, and plenty of opportunities for traditional cold-water swims.

On REI’s Slovenia Hiking – The Alps to the Adriatic trip guests venture into the quiet solitude of the Julian Alps and more. The rugged Julian Alps are just as awe-inspiring as their Swiss and French cousins, with a big difference: far fewer hikers. Over eight days, marvel at high limestone peaks and dense spruce forests; raft the Soča River and swim in its pools and waterfalls; take a private tour of the subterranean chambers of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Škocjan Caves; and discover the region’s wine, olive oil and local cuisine with visits to a prosciutto producer and local beekeeper farm. For such a small country, its beekeepers produce up to 2,500 tons of honey a year.

CDC Issues Federal Quarantine Order to Repatriated U.S. Citizens at March Air Reserve Base

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under statutory authority of the Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, has issued federal quarantine orders to all 195 United States citizens who repatriated to the U.S. on January 29, 2020. The quarantine will last 14 days from when the plane left Wuhan, China. This action is a precautionary and preventive step to maximize the containment of the virus in the interest of the health of the American public.

PHIL ID #23311 – This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion, when viewed electron microscopically. This virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

This legal order will protect the health of the repatriated citizens, their families, and their communities. These individuals will continue to be housed at the March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, California. Medical staff will continue to monitor the health of each traveler, including temperature checks and observation for respiratory symptoms. If an individual presents symptoms, medical care will be readily available. Even if a screening test comes back negative from CDC’s laboratory results, it does not conclusively mean an individual is at no risk of developing the disease over the likely 14-day incubation period.

This legal order is part of a public health response that is necessary to prevent the transmission and spread of this virus in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The current epidemic in Mainland China has demonstrated the virus’s capacity to spread globally. CDC is using one of the tools in our toolbox as a way to contain the potential impact of this novel virus on the United States.

This outbreak investigation is ongoing; we learn more every day about this newly emerging virus. First and foremost, CDC is committed to protecting the health and safety of all Americans. While CDC continues to believe the immediate risk to the larger American public is low at this time, this legal order has been put in place as a necessary step to fully assess and care for these repatriated Americans, protecting them, their loved ones, and their communities.

For the latest information on the outbreak, visit CDC’s Novel Coronavirus 2019 website.

Travel Advisory: Public Health Screening to Begin at 3 U.S. Airports for 2019 Novel Coronavirus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will implement enhanced health screenings to detect ill travelers traveling to the United States on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, China. This activity is in response to an outbreak in China caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (2019 nCoV), with exported cases to Thailand and Japan.

Starting January 17, 2020, travelers from Wuhan to the United States will undergo entry screening for symptoms associated with 2019-nCoV at three U.S. airports that receive most of the travelers from Wuhan, China: San Francisco (SFO), New York (JFK), and Los Angeles (LAX) airports.

“To further protect the health of the American public during the emergence of this novel coronavirus, CDC is beginning entry screening at three ports of entry. Investigations into this novel coronavirus are ongoing and we are monitoring and responding to this evolving situation,” said Martin Cetron, M.D., Director of CDC’s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine.

Based on current information, the risk from 2019-nCoV to the American public is currently deemed to be low. Nevertheless, CDC is taking proactive preparedness precautions.

Entry screening is part of a layered approach used with other public health measures already in place to detect arriving travelers who are sick (such as detection and reporting of ill travelers by airlines during travel and referral of ill travelers arriving at a US port of entry by CBP) to slow and reduce the spread of any disease into the United States.

CDC is deploying about 100 additional staff to the three airports (SFO, JFK, and LAX) to supplement existing staff at CDC quarantine stations located at those airports.

CDC is actively monitoring this situation for pertinent information about the source of outbreak, and risk for further spread through person-to-person or animal-to-person transmission. CDC may adjust screening procedures and other response activities as this outbreak investigation continues and more is learned about the newly emerging virus. Entry screening alone is not a guarantee against the possible importation of this new virus but is an important public health tool during periods of uncertainty and part of a multilayered government response strategy. As new information emerges, CDC will reassess entry screening measures and could scale activities up or down accordingly.

On Jan. 11, 2020, CDC updated a Level 1 Travel Health Notice (“practice usual precautions”) for travelers to Wuhan City and an updated Health Alert to health care professionals and public health partners with new and updated guidance is forthcoming.

China health officials report that most of the patients infected with 2019-nCoV have had exposure to a large market where live animals were present, suggesting this is a novel virus that has jumped the species barrier to infect people. Chinese authorities additionally report that several hundred health care workers caring for outbreak patients are being monitored and no spread of this virus from patients to health care workers has been seen. They report no sustained spread of this virus in the community, however there are indications that some limited person-to-person spread may have occurred. CDC is responding to this outbreak out of an abundance of caution, ready to detect people infected with 2019-CoV.

For the latest information on the outbreak, visit CDC’s Novel Coronavirus 2019 website.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Boston Introduces Forest Therapy Journey

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Boston, the only Forbes Five-Star Spa in Massachusetts, is pleased to be the first Spa in the United States to offer Aromatherapy Associates new Forest Therapy Journey, inspired by the Japanese art of Shinrin-Yoku (aka Forest Bathing) which entails spending time in nature amongst the trees to improve overall well-being.

An intimately luxurious hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Boston combines classic New England elegance with refined Oriental touches to create one of the most distinctive hospitality experiences in the region. Awarded both Forbes Five-Stars and AAA Five-Diamonds, Mandarin Oriental, Boston features 148 of the city’s most spacious guestrooms and suites, exquisite meeting and event facilities and legendary personalized service. Hotel amenities include Massachusetts’ only holistic Five-Star awarded spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center and our signature restaurant Bar Boulud, a French-inspired bistro and wine bar from internationally acclaimed chef Daniel Boulud. A short 15-minute drive from Logan International Airport, Mandarin Oriental, Boston connects guests to the city’s finest shopping, cultural venues and business institutions from its prime location in the heart of Boston’s chic Back Bay on Boylston Street.

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Boston Introduces Forest Therapy Journey

The 1 hour 20-minute treatment provides similar mind and body calming benefits that one experiences when in a peaceful natural landscape. Through Forest Therapy®, Aromatherapy Associates new unique essential oil blend, guests will immediately feel restored from the stresses of modern day living. A cleansing guided meditation, followed by a deep, long massage, relieves restlessness and agitation. The treatment concludes with a grounding mud mask for the feet and a soothing scalp massage. Priced at USD 230 (Monday to Thursday) and USD 260 (Friday to Sunday).

The hand-crafted Forest Therapy® oil blend is fresh, clean and invigorating. It was created using a collection of nature’s most caring ingredients: evergreen Pink Pepper fruit native to the Peruvian Andes, uplifting Juniper Berry gathered from the mountainous regions of Macedonia, calming Mediterranean Cypress and cleansing Taiwanese Ho Wood. When blended, these ingredients work synergistically to form a fragrance that’s powerfully effective yet emotionally healing.

In addition to the treatment, which is available now, The Spa will also offer the Forest Therapy® Bath & Shower Oil and Wellness Mist.

For reservations or additional information, please email mobos-spa@mohg.com or call +1 (617) 535 8820.

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year 2020: PANTONE® 19-4052 Classic Blue

A Reassuring Presence Instilling Calm, Confidence, And Connection

Tapping into sight, sound, smell, taste, and texture Pantone makes PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue the first multi-sensory Color of the Year in the company’s history.

Pantone, provider of professional color language standards and digital solutions, today announced PANTONE 19-4052, Classic Blue, as the Pantone® Color of the Year for 2020; a timeless and enduring hue elegant in its simplicity. Suggestive of the sky at dusk, the reassuring qualities of the thought-provoking PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue highlight our desire for a dependable and stable foundation from which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era.

Pantone Reveals Color of the Year 2020: PANTONE® 19-4052 Classic Blue

“We are living in a time that requires trust and faith. It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “Imbued with a deep resonance, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking; challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.”

The Color of the Year selection process requires thoughtful consideration and trend analysis. To arrive at the selection each year, Pantone’s color experts at the Pantone Color Institute comb the world looking for new color influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films in production, traveling art collections and new artists, fashion, all areas of design, popular travel destinations, as well as new lifestyles, playstyles, and socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and effects that impact color, relevant social media platforms and even up-coming sporting events that capture worldwide attention. For 21 years, Pantone’s Color of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home furnishings, and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. Past selections for Color of the Year include:

• PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral (2019)
• PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet (2018)
• PANTONE 15-0343 Greenery (2017)
• PANTONE 15-3919 Serenity and PANTONE 13-1520 Rose Quartz (2016)
• PANTONE 18-1438 Marsala (2015)
• PANTONE 18-3224 Radiant Orchid (2014)
• PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald (2013)
• PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango (2012)
• PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
• PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)
• PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa (2009)
• PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (2008)
• PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper (2007)
• PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar (2006)
• PANTONE 15-5217 Blue Turquoise (2005)
• PANTONE 17-1456 Tigerlily (2004)
• PANTONE 14-4811 Aqua Sky (2003)
• PANTONE 19-1664 True Red (2002)
• PANTONE 17-2031 Fuchsia Rose (2001)
• PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean (2000)

The color selected as the Pantone Color of the Year 2020 was taken from the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors Color System, the most widely used and recognized color standards system for fashion, textile, home, and interior design.

Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. Aiding concentration and bringing laser-like clarity, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue re-centers our thoughts. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience.

As technology continues to race ahead of the human ability to process it all, it is easy to understand why we gravitate to colors that are honest and offer the promise of protection. Non-aggressive and easily relatable, the trusted PANTONE 19-4052, Classic Blue lends itself to relaxed interaction. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced.

“The Pantone Color of the Year highlights the relationship between trends in color and what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time, a color that reflects what individuals feel they need that color can hope to answer.” added Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute. “As society continues to recognize color as a critical form of communication, and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions, designers and brands should feel inspired to use color to engage and connect. The Pantone Color of the Year selection provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Color Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands.”

To fully bring to life the true meaning of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, Pantone has translated PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue into a multi-sensory experience. By extending the sensory reach of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, Pantone is hoping to reach a greater diversity of people to provide everyone with an opportunity to engage with the Color of the Year 2020 in their own unique way.

“As we all head into a new era, we wanted to challenge ourselves to find inspiration from new sources that not only evolve our Color of the Year platform, but also help our global audiences achieve richer and more rewarding color experiences,” added Pressman. “This desire, combined with the emotional properties of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue, motivated us to expand beyond the visual, to bring the 2020 Pantone Color of the Year to life through a multi-sensory experience.”

Classic Blue in Fashion

PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a poised and self-assured blue hue elegant in its simplicity. Genderless in outlook and seasonless in endurance, this foundational anchor shade enables color mixes throughout the spectrum, as well as making a strong statement on its own. Emblematic of heritage but at the same time highly contemporary, versatile PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue takes on distinct appearances through application to different materials, finishes and textures from shimmering metallics, lustrous sheens and high-tech materials to hand crafted looks and more fragile fabrics.

Classic Blue in Beauty

In the ultimate display of personal expression, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue makes a dramatic statement for eyes, nails and hair in a variety of finishes from glittery and glam to dusty matte.

Classic Blue in Home Décor

Offering the promise of protection PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a pervasive favorite for home. Creating a stable foundation from which to build, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue injects creative confidence into interiors, transforming a space through unique color combinations and tonal statements. Easily applied across so many different materials, textures and finishes, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is a dependable blue that can take you in different directions expressing tradition and elegance as well as unexpected boldness.

Classic Blue in Graphic Design and Packaging

Because of PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue’s relation to the sky at dusk, something we see every day, it maintains a perception of dependability and constancy. A color we respond to viscerally as being trustworthy, PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue is an ideal shade for many applications of graphic design. This is especially true for packaging where PANTONE 19-4052 Classic Blue conveys the message of honesty, credibility and reliability that today’s consumers are connecting to.

Happiness Is Pop-In@Nordstrom: ‘Tis The Season Of Gratitude And Giving.

Celebrate the holidays at Pop-In@Nordstrom with Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts Gang, and discover hundreds of uncommon gifts to light up those who make life brighter. Featuring more than 100 exclusive items and 1,000+ gifts spanning home and health, travel and tech, and even presents for your friends on four legs, Happiness Is Pop-In@Nordstrom (Now through to January 5) has something for everyone on your list. The shop is up and running now in select Nordstrom locations and online at Nordstrom.com/pop.

Happiness Is Pop-In@Nordstrom

Julie Mollo Snoopy Change Purse

LucyAndCo Dog Hoodie

MoMA Backgammon Set

This season for holiday Pop-In@Nordstrom were expanded to additional Nordstrom locations. New stores are starred below:

Poketo Planner

The CDC and HIV.gov Outlines New Information in the Battle to Fight AIDS/HIV in The United States

World AIDS Day 2019 #WAD2019

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the HIV epidemic in the United States. Now is the time.“

World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988. Each year, on December 1, organizations and individuals across the world work to bring attention to the continuing HIV epidemic, endeavoring to increase HIV awareness and knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased response to move toward Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America.

HIV in America

Collective efforts over many years at the local, state, and federal levels have successfully increased the proportion of people living with HIV who know their status and who are in care and receiving HIV treatment. In addition, our collective efforts have reduced new HIV infections to the lowest level ever. But, progress is slowing and new threats to our continued progress have emerged.

According to the latest available data, in 2017, 38,739 people received an HIV diagnosis in the United States. [1] That annual number of new diagnoses has remained essentially stable since 2013. Further, approximately 15% (or 1 in 7) of the estimated 1.1 million people with HIV in the U.S. don’t know they have it. These data make clear that not all people who need them are benefitting from the proven HIV prevention and treatment tools currently available. Specifically, certain populations and geographic areas continue to bear a disproportionate burden of HIV disease, requiring us to sharpen the focus of our collective prevention efforts on:

• Gay and bisexual men who are the population most affected by HIV in all regions of the country. In 2017, gay and bisexual men accounted for 66% ( 25,748) of all HIV diagnoses and 82% of diagnoses among males. [2]
• African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos who are disproportionately affected by HIV. African Americans account for only 13% of the population, but 43 % of HIV diagnoses in 2017. [3] Hispanics/Latinos account for only 18% of the population, but 26% of HIV diagnoses in 2017.
• Southern states accounted for 52% of the 38,739 new HIV diagnoses in 2017. Southern states account for just 38% of the U.S. population, so HIV diagnoses are not evenly distributed regionally in the United States. Further, in the South the impact of HIV is greater than in any other region. The latest data tells us that 51% of annual HIV infections, 46% of persons with HIV, and 51% of undiagnosed HIV infections were found in the South.

Knowledge of HIV status is the entry point to linkage to receiving effective care and treatment for those who test positive, helping them to stay healthy and prevent new HIV infections. A person with HIV who takes HIV medicine daily as prescribed and gets and stays virally suppressed [having very low levels of HIV present in the body, known as a low viral load] can stay healthy and has effectively no risk of sexually transmitting HIV to HIV-negative partners.

Despite these outstanding benefits of HIV treatment, the latest data tells us that among all adults and adolescents with HIV in the U.S., only: [4]

• 63% received some HIV medical care,
• 49% were retained in continuous HIV care, and
• 51% had achieved viral suppression (having a very low level of the virus as a result of treatment). [5]

Knowledge of HIV status is also an entry point to prevention services for those who test negative. Today’s highly effective HIV prevention tools include pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, a daily pill which reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%. However, fewer than 10% of Americans who could benefit from PrEP have been prescribed it.

Getting a Haircut at Sport Clips Haircuts Now Through Veterans Day Can Help A Hero

Campaign Supports Military Scholarships Through The Veterans Of Foreign Wars of The United States

Getting a haircut now through Veterans Day will support service member and veteran scholarships as a part of Sport Clips Haircuts annual “Help A Hero” campaign that kicks off in stores today. The Help A Hero Scholarship program is designed to reduce the burden of college, graduate and technical school tuition often needed to pursue post-military careers and is administered by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW). The goal this year is to raise $1.5 million toward scholarships in the more than 1,800 Sport Clips Haircuts stores across the country.

Sport Clips Haircuts. (PRNewsFoto/Sport Clips)

In just six years, 1,450 military and student veterans have been awarded Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarships with the nearly $6.5 million donated to date by Sport Clips Haircuts, its clients and product partners. These scholarships provide up to $5,000 of assistance per semester to help cover the cost of tuition and fees for service members and veterans in the rank of E-5 and below.

“I used my G.I. Bill benefits to obtain my B.A. and even the first three semesters of my M.A. before exhausting my benefits,” says Christopher Mynatt, a U.S. Navy veteran. “The VFW and Sport Clips are the reason I will never have to pay for school out of pocket.“

Getting a haircut now through Veterans Day will support service member and veteran scholarships as a part of Sport Clips Haircuts annual “Help A Hero” campaign.

Many locations are also offering free haircuts to service members and veterans with valid military identification – check here for participating stores and store hours. Anyone can support the cause by making a donation when checking out at a Sport Clips location. On Veterans Day, November 11, the company donates an additional dollar for every haircare service to the scholarship program, which added more than $100,000 to the total last year and will be even higher in 2019.

“These scholarships are making a difference in the lives of so many who have served our country in the military. Right now, there are 165 student veterans attending colleges and certification programs here in the U.S. with the aid of Help A Hero Scholarships,” says Gordon Logan, Sport Clips founder, CEO, Air Force veteran and VFW Life member. “Whether it’s graduate school or beauty school, it’s an honor for us to be able to thank those who serve by helping them toward the degrees and certifications to pursue civilian careers.”

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally-chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.6 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in 6,200 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.

“Our student veterans can face a lot of adversity while pursuing higher education,” said William “Doc” Schmitz, VFW national commander. “With the help of Sport Clips Haircuts and its generous patrons, we’re so pleased to have the opportunity to ensure the financial burden is alleviated during an already stressful time in these veterans’ lives.”

Sport Clips Haircuts is headquartered in Georgetown, Texas. It was established in 1993 and began franchising in 1995. The sports-themed haircutting franchise, which specializes in haircuts for men and boys, offers online check in for clients, and is ranked by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “Fastest-Growing Franchises” and #17 in its “Franchise 500.” There are more than 1,800 Sport Clips stores open in the U.S. and Canada, and as the “Official Haircutter” of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), offers veterans preferential pricing on haircuts and franchises, and was named a “2018 Best for Vets: Franchises” by Military Times.

Sport Clips provides “Haircuts with Heart” through its annual Help A Hero fundraiser that has contributed $7.5 million to the VFW; national partnership with St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants; and other national and local philanthropic outreach. Sport Clips is a proud sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing‘s NASCAR drivers Erik Jones and Denny Hamlin, Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan Indy Car driver Sebastien Bourdais, and partners with numerous NCAA and professional sports teams. To learn more about Sport Clips, visit sportclips.com.

Three Major AIDS Advocacy and Education Organizations Announces New Series of Financial Grants In The United States

 

In An Expanded Partnership, The Elton John AIDS Foundation, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, And The Aileen Getty Foundation Announce New Series Of Collaborative Grants Toward Ending AIDS In The Southern United States.

12 Organizations Across The Region Will Receive $625,000 In Support To Address The Epidemic Through Advocacy And Wide-Ranging Services

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) announced an expanded series of grants aimed at ending the AIDS epidemic in the Southern United States—in particular, its disproportionate impact on young people and communities of color.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation logo

Sir Elton John created EJAF 25 years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Through the generous support of far-sighted individuals, foundations, and corporations, the two foundations together have raised more than $400 million over the past quarter-century to challenge discrimination against people affected by the epidemic, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS. The U.S. foundation focuses its efforts on programs in the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean, while the U.K. foundation funds HIV-related work in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Join us in speaking out, taking action, and

The Aileen Getty Foundation logo

contributing to our efforts to achieve a world without AIDS.

This new effort—the fourth round of annual grants made jointly with The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation —features an additional coalition partner, the Aileen Getty Foundation. Aileen Getty, a pioneering philanthropist whose generosity is motivated by her own experience living with HIV, brings to the partnership a passion for comprehensive, empathetic advocacy to address HIV/AIDS, addiction, mental health challenges, and homelessness.

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation logo

Getty’s support expands the total financial heft of this partnership by a third to include four new grantees, delivering a total of $625,000 in resources to 12 organizations. The closely-aligned missions of EJAF, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, and the Aileen Getty Foundation make the collaboration a natural one and sharpen the partnership’s philanthropic focus on communities most in need. (Read a complete list of grant recipients and descriptions from the partnership.)

“We’re thrilled to have the Aileen Getty Foundation join our existing partners at The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, making this one of the largest philanthropic partnerships addressing AIDS in the Southern United States,” said EJAF Chairman David Furnish. “By bringing particular focus on the needs and aspirations of young people and communities of color, and by delivering support to community-rooted organizations that have been engaging the epidemic for years, this partnership has incredible potential to reduce transmissions, improve quality of life, and speed the South’s progress toward an AIDS-free generation.“

Elton John AIDS Foundation Announces Bold New Funding Initiatives To Combat HIV Epidemics in the U.S. and in Eastern Europe/Central Asia

The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) today announced new funding initiatives to increase advocacy and service delivery for people living with and at-risk for HIV and hepatitis C.

In the U.S., EJAF will be launching a new funding initiative to address HIV in Black gay men and transgender individuals, building on our years of experience and support in fighting AIDS in these communities. In Eastern Europe, EJAF will launch the Key Populations Fund for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA KP Fund), focused on prevention and treatment of HIV and hepatitis C for individuals most vulnerable to the HIV epidemic in the region: people who use drugs, sex workers, and gay and bisexual men in the region.

Elton John AIDS Foundation logo (PRNewsFoto/Elton John AIDS Foundation)

Although Black gay and bisexual men account for one in 500 people living in the U.S., they make up nearly one in four new HIV infections and one in six Americans living with HIV. One in four Black gay and bisexual men are already infected with HIV by the time they reach age 25, and one in two will become HIV-positive in their lifetimes. An estimated overall 21% of transgender individuals are infected with HIV in the U.S. and that number is approximately three times higher among Black transgender people.

Over the past three years, EJAF-US has invested more than $6.6 million in organizations working to change the course of the epidemic in Black communities of gay and bisexual men and transgender individuals. Through this new initiative, EJAF’s goal will be a more intensive focus to support community mobilization to develop programs and advocacy to:

• Reduce new infection rates through support for innovative community-based programs to increase access to and use of HIV prevention and testing services.
• Reduce AIDS-related illness and death through support for advocacy and community-based service delivery to improve engagement in health care and earlier access to HIV treatment and care.
• Confront racism, homophobia, and transphobia as key drivers of HIV infection and disease.

The U.S. program will reach an anticipated 5,000 HIV-positive Black gay men and transgender individuals to learn about their HIV status and get linked to health care, social services, and treatment. Another estimated 10,000 will receive HIV prevention services including access to PrEP. Support for advocacy will seek increased coverage for PrEP through Medicaid and ADAP programs and expansion of state Medicaid programs to provide HIV treatment to thousands of Black gay men and transgender individuals across the U.S. One key aspect of this new initiative will be to engage leadership from Black gay and transgender communities to help set priorities and strategies for this funding and to support community mobilization through the funding process as well as through the grants themselves. This will be the largest private funding initiative specifically supporting Black gay and transgender communities in history.

The EECA KP Fund will address the needs of key populations in the region. Over three years, the Fund will reach an estimated 20,000 people with HIV prevention, testing, and treatment. Mirroring a current Fund that EJAF runs for LGBT populations in countries in Africa where homosexuality is criminalized, the EECA KP Fund will also include a Rapid Response element to address emergencies, including the physical safety of people living with HIV. The EECA Key Populations Fund will also develop “Lighthouse” grants that support HIV and hepatitis C care within the public health system.

Funding for the new initiatives will be supported by EJAF and include financial contributions from Gilead Sciences. Gilead will also provide a donation of hepatitis C products to the EECA Fund to help cure 5,000 patients – a critical contribution in a region where up to 97% of people living with HIV are co-infected with hepatitis C.

“Our new funding initiative in the U.S. has the potential to substantially change the course of the HIV epidemic among Black gay men and transgender individuals by supporting the leadership and organizations within those communities,” said Scott Campbell, Executive Director of EJAF-US.

In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, over 1.5 million people are living with HIV. New HIV infections in the region have increased by over 50% since 2010. People who inject drugs, sex workers, and gay men make up over 96% of those infected. Over 75% of people living with HIV in EECA are not on treatment. Co-infections with hepatitis C are also widespread with an estimated 60 – 97% of people living with HIV who inject drugs co-infected with hepatitis C, depending on the country.

“The HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, particularly in Russia and Ukraine, remains the fastest growing in the world,” said Anne Aslett, Executive Director of EJAF-UK. “As other donors have withdrawn from the region, EJAF remains committed to supporting people who use drugs, men who have sex with men, and sex workers throughout the region to improve their health and protect their human rights. The EECA KP Fund is the first initiative of its kind. It aims not only to save the lives of thousands of very vulnerable people but to introduce new ways of addressing and scaling up response to the region’s expanding epidemic.”

EJAF Founder Sir Elton John said. “These investments will make a measurable difference at a pivotal moment by connecting people most vulnerable to HIV to the care they need and the compassion they deserve.”

Alba Botanica® Brand Partners With The Pink Agenda And FAB-U-WISH During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Highlighting Giuliana Rancic’s FAB-U-WISH Initiative, Alba Botanica® Brand Will Show Support For A Great Cause

The Alba Botanica® brand is proud to announce its partnership with The Pink Agenda, a non-profit organization committed to raising money for breast cancer research and Giuliana Rancic‘s FAB-U-WISH program, an initiative that grants wishes to those suffering from breast cancer. Since 2014, Giuliana Rancic’s FAB-U-WISH and The Pink Agenda has granted the most fabulous wishes to women undergoing treatment for this devastating disease.

The Pink Agenda believes that engaging today’s generation can go a long way toward finding tomorrow’s cure for breast cancer. That’s why The Pink Agenda, together with its partner the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, is working with the next generation of leaders to find and fund programs that are improving the lives of those suffering from breast cancer and conducting the groundbreaking research necessary to improve their odds. The Pink Agenda, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization launched in 2007, has contributed $2 million to breast cancer research.

Alba Botanica®, as a brand was started with the mission to Do Beautiful. Last year, they launched the Do Good – Do Beautiful campaign, which highlights women who are doing good and beautiful things in their lives and the world. Supporting The Pink Agenda and Giuliana Rancic, who was already a fan of the brand, is the perfect partnership to continue the brand’s messaging of empowering and inspiring women in the world.

“As a brand that promotes creating positive change in the world, the Alba Botanica® brand is thrilled to be working alongside Giuliana and The Pink Agenda to both spread awareness and raise research funds in support of finding a cure for breast cancer,” said Julie Marchant-Houle, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Personal Care products at The Hain Celestial Group, Inc.

Said Rancic, “By partnering with FAB-U-WISH and The Pink Agenda, Alba Botanica® brand is helping women currently facing breast cancer feel special – and feel better – during their most difficult times. We’re proud to be working alongside Alba Botanica® to support our ultimate wish of finding a cure.“

“The Pink Agenda is honored to have Alba Botanica® join in our fight to make breast cancer history,” said Lucretia Gilbert, Executive Director of The Pink Agenda. “Our partners are critical in helping raise awareness of the disease and funding the groundbreaking research necessary to save lives.”

Alba Botanica® products contain 100% vegetarian ingredients and are made with vitamins, plant emollients and therapeutic botanicals for optimum beauty benefits. The Alba Botanica® brand range includes: Hawaiian skin care, hair care and spa treatments; Even Advanced™ skin care; ACNEdote™ acne skin care treatments; Very Emollient™ body lotions, bath and shower gels, cream shaves and foam shaves; Good & Clean™ facial cleansers; Fast Fix beauty treatments; a full range of suncare products and deodorant sticks.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: What You Need to Know and How You Can Help

Thanks to earlier detection –through screening and increased awareness— and better treatments, a woman’s risk of dying of breast dropped 38 percent between the late 1980s and 2014, translating into 297,300 fewer breast cancer deaths during that time.

However, there’s much more to be done. Breast cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Only lung cancer kills more women each year. And there remains a large racial gap in mortality, with African-American women having 42 percent higher death rates compared to whites. The chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is about 1 in 37 (about 2.7 percent).

American Cancer Society Logo (PRNewsfoto/American Cancer Society)

The Facts:

The American Cancer Society‘s estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2017 are:

• About 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
• About 63,410 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
• About 40,610 women will die from breast cancer.
• While black and white women get breast cancer at roughly the same rate, black women are more likely to die from it.

At this time, there are more than 3.1 million people with a history of breast cancer in the United States. (This includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.)

Risk factors:

• Limited but accumulating research indicates that smoking may slightly increase breast cancer risk, particularly long-term, heavy smoking and among women who start smoking before their first pregnancy.
• Obesity increases the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. Risk is about 1.5 times higher in overweight women and about 2 times higher in obese women than in lean women.
• Growing evidence suggests that women who get regular physical activity have a 10%-25% lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who are inactive, with stronger evidence for postmenopausal than premenopausal women.
• Numerous studies have confirmed that alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer in women by about 7%-10% for each one drink of alcohol consumed per day on average. Women who have 2-3 alcoholic drinks per day have a 20 percent higher risk of breast cancer compared to non-drinkers.

What You Can Do to Help

From investing in research, providing free rides to treatment, giving insurance advice and providing a free place to stay during chemotherapy, the American Cancer Society is attacking cancer from every angle. If you or someone you love is concerned about developing breast cancer, have been recently diagnosed, are going through treatment, or are trying to stay well after treatment, the American Cancer Society can help you find the answers you need.

Get Involved and help save lives from breast cancer: Fundraise and participate in one of more than 250 Making Strides events or participate virtually at makingstrideswalk.org.

Take action with The American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and help make fighting breast cancer a national priority at acscan.org/makingstrides

2017 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Tanger Outlets Launches Shop PINK On October 1st At All Tanger Locations

Commemorating 24 Years of Uniting in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. will once again offer shoppers great savings in return for supporting the ongoing efforts to end breast cancer during the 24th annual Tanger PINK Campaign. Since 1994, Tanger has contributed more than $17 million to breast cancer research through the PINK Campaign, 5K races, on-site events and other breast cancer-related fundraising initiatives across the U.S.

Tanger Outlets. (PRNewsFoto/Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.)

The Tanger PINK Campaign launched September 29 at Tanger Outlets across the United States and Canada. At participating retailers, every day during the month of October, shoppers using the Shop Pink Card will receive additional savings on the best brand name and design fashions while helping to unite in the fight against breast cancer.

Tanger Outlets Launches Shop PINK On October 1st At All Tanger Locations

Tanger’s Shop Pink Cards offer shoppers 25% off any item at participating stores, once per day, per store with unlimited use through October 31, 2017. Shop Pink Cards are available in two formats: a mobile card saved on your phone or a physical card to save in your wallet. Tanger’s Shop Pink Cards can be purchased at any Tanger Outlets nationwide, online at www.tangeroutlet.com/pink or on Tanger’s app.

Individual centers will schedule local Pump Up the PINK events, including 5K Walk/Runs, Pink Party Socials, and other Pink activations to enhance the shopping experience and to shine the light on breast cancer awareness. Tanger Outlets is also giving away gift cards and PINK items on their social media channels for fans throughout the month.

Art News: The ACT UP Portraits: Activists & Avatars, 1991-1994

STEPHEN BARKER, “The ACT UP Portraits: Activists & Avatars, 1991-1994”

Exhibition dates: September 14 – October 28, 2017

Daniel Cooney Fine Art (508-526 West 26th Street, Suite 9C, New York, NY 10001, 212 255 8158. dan@danielcooneyfineart.com. Hours: Wednesday – Saturday 11 – 6) is pleased to announce the first solo exhibition of photographs, “The ACT UP Portraits: Activists & Avatars, 1991-1994“, by renowned photographer Stephen Barker. The exhibit will showcase approximately 15 never before seen black and white photographic portraits of AIDS activists – in the studio and at home – taken by Barker during his time working within the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) 1991-1994, and Barker’s unique artist’s book Funeral March, which chronicles the carrying of Mark Fisher’s body in an open coffin from Judson Church, up Sixth Avenue, to the steps of the Republican National Committee on the eve of the presidential election in 1992.

Rod Sorge (1969-1999) ACT UP Needle Exchange, 1991

Barker became involved with ACT UP in the late 80s working primarily with the needle exchange program. The photographs were never intended as an encyclopedic project, but rather the portraits evolved organically out of Barker’s working relationships, friendships, and intimacies. The exhibition is especially timely during this 30th anniversary year of ACT UP when once again all underserved communities, including those living with HIV/AIDS, are threatened by our own government. It is a call to arms for activism and a reminder of the distance we have traveled and battles we have won.

Stephen Barker, ‘Gay Wachman, ACT UP Needle Exchange,’ 1992, Gelatin Silver Print

Saks Fifth Avenue Announces 2017 Key To The Cure Campaign Benefitting Women’s Cancer Research Fund

Saks Fifth Avenue has teamed up with Women’s Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) for the 2017 Key To The Cure campaign. Now in its 19th year, Key To The Cure is Saks Fifth Avenue‘s annual fundraising and charitable initiative to fight cancer. This year, Women’s Cancer Research Ambassador Jennifer Lopez will act as the face of the campaign, and Missoni will design the exclusive, limited edition t-shirt.

Saks Fifth Avenue Announces 2017 Key To The Cure Campaign Benefitting Women’s Cancer Research Fund With Women’s Cancer Research Ambassador Jennifer Lopez And Missoni.

“For almost two decades, Key To The Cure has been one of the most iconic and valuable programs that Saks executes each year,” said Marc Metrick, President of Saks Fifth Avenue. “We look forward to raising funds for WCRF, as well as cancer research and treatment organizations around the country, and are confident that we will be successful, especially with the extraordinary support from both Jennifer Lopez and Missoni.“

The Women’s Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), a program of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, has supported innovative research directed at the development of more effective approaches to the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of women’s cancers since 1997. Founded by Jamie Tisch, Kate Capshaw, Rita Wilson, Anne Douglas, Quinn Ezralow, Kelly Chapman Meyer and Marion Laurie, WCRF has significantly moved the needle to advance life-saving research. Saks Fifth Avenue‘s annual KTTC Charity Shopping Weekend will kick off on Friday, Oct. 13, and will donate three percent of sales of designated merchandise up to $500,000 to WCRF from Friday to Sunday.

“We are honored to partner with Saks Fifth Avenue on this year’s Key To The Cure campaign,” said Tisch. “We admire all that Saks has accomplished in support of cancer research over the years, and we are grateful to everyone who will participate in this event to raise critical funds.”

Saks Fifth Avenue Key To The Cure 2017 t-shirt by MISSONI

Since the campaign’s inception 19 years ago, Saks Fifth Avenue has donated close to $40 million to cancer research and treatment organizations throughout the United States. Organizations that have benefitted from Saks Fifth Avenue’s charitable support include Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Cleveland Clinic, Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Nevada Cancer Institute and much more.

The Women’s Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has supported innovative research directed at the development of more effective approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship of women’s cancers since 1997. WCRF has significantly moved the needle to fast-track more effective approaches to the study of women’s cancers. In 2016, WCRF joined forces with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)—the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. As a program of BCRF, the highest rated breast cancer organization in the country, WCRF will go even further in its ability to advance life-saving research. For more information, kindly visit www.wcrfcure.org or www.Instagram.com/wcrfcure.

Missoni, known for its colorful geometric motifs, created the exclusive 2017 Key To The Cure t-shirt. The design will be available for purchase from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 at all Saks Fifth Avenue locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as on saks.com. One hundred percent of proceeds from the $35 t-shirt will be donated to twelve local cancer charities, including American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and TGen Foundation, among others.

“It’s an honor to design the coveted Key To The Cure t-shirt for Saks Fifth Avenue,” said Angela Missoni. “This year marks my 20th anniversary as the Creative Director for Missoni and what better way to celebrate than to join the amazing roster of designers who have used their creative voices to support such an extraordinary cause.“

Jennifer Lopez will act as the official 2017 WCRF Ambassador, appearing in the KTTC advertising campaign as well as in a Saks Fifth Avenue-sponsored national public service announcement. Past ambassadors and designer collaborations have included Halle Berry and Christian Louboutin, Jennifer Aniston and Peter Dundas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Karl Lagerfeld, and Heidi Klum and Michael Kors, among many well-known others.

For more information, kindly visit saks.com, Facebook.com/saks, Instagram.com/saks, Twitter.com/saks, Pinterest.com/saks, and Snapchat.com/saks_official.

Health 101: Planned Parenthood and Black AIDS Institute Announces Program to Expand Comprehensive HIV Prevention Services at Health Centers Across the Country

Planned Parenthood recently announced a multi-phase pilot program to build and expand its comprehensive HIV prevention and education efforts. Gilead Sciences, Inc, a research-based biopharmaceutical company, awarded the $900,000 grant to support and expand efforts of HIV prevention and education, including the integration of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness, at Planned Parenthood affiliate health centers across the country over the next 18 months. It is the first significant corporate grant of its kind awarded to Planned Parenthood and will focus critical prevention efforts in communities hardest hit by the epidemic. PrEP is the medical practice of prescribing antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV infection. This is further proof that Planned Parenthood is more than just about legalized abortion services. (But then, most women knew that already.)

Planned Parenthood logo

Planned Parenthood provides high-quality, compassionate care in health centers across the country, including nearly 700,000 HIV tests each year. Planned Parenthood health centers are uniquely positioned to deliver HIV prevention services and education to disproportionately impacted communities, including Black women, Latinas, transgender people, young adults of all backgrounds, and men who have sex with men, especially people of color.

The grant work will be carried out in partnership with The Black AIDS Institute, the only national HIV/AIDS think tank in the United States focused exclusively on Black people.

“Planned Parenthood is thrilled to be launching this incredibly exciting project. Although this country has made progress toward greater health care equity, disparities in HIV rates remain a serious issue for too many people and too many communities,” said Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “Rates of new HIV cases, along with barriers to treatment and health care access, continue to more greatly impact marginalized communities. With this grant, Planned Parenthood can implement life-saving awareness and care not otherwise funded at this scale. It furthers our mission to provide all people, especially those already facing barriers to accessing quality health care, with comprehensive and cutting-edge HIV prevention methods, including PrEP“.

The majority of the grant will directly support the efforts of Planned Parenthood affiliates to develop training and resources aimed at delivering a comprehensive program of HIV prevention, including PrEP and other methods, in health centers across the country. It will also go toward the creation of patient education materials to reach populations most at-risk for HIV, as well as capacity-building sustainable learning modules across affiliates.

Despite the life-saving advances in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for treatment and prevention, HIV remains an urgent public health crisis, especially for certain marginalized communities who face barriers to affordable, quality health care. According to a 2014 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance report, women of color, particularly Black women, are disproportionately affected by HIV, accounting for the majority of the HIV infections, women living with HIV, and HIV-related deaths among women in the U.S.

While awareness of antiretroviral medication as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) has risen significantly, women at risk for HIV still face several challenges in getting the services and information they need, including structural and cultural barriers such as poverty, HIV stigma, and a relative lack of access to healthcare professionals trained to offer comprehensive HIV prevention, including PrEP and other methods.

As part of our mission to help people live healthy lives, Planned Parenthood works every day in communities across the country and with partners around the world so that everyone — no matter who they are or where they live — can access accurate, high-quality, compassionate sexual and reproductive health care.

Phill Wilson, President, and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute.

“The Black AIDS Institute is proud to partner with Planned Parenthood to expand comprehensive HIV prevention services to Black Women“, Phill Wilson, President, and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute. “Given the disproportionate impact HIV is having on Black women and the new tools we have at our disposal, this is the right thing to do at the right time.”

“Scientific innovation has greatly improved our ability to address the HIV epidemic,” said Gregg Alton, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Medical Affairs for Gilead Sciences, Inc. “Alongside that innovation, diverse programs and partnerships are helping to ensure we can reach those most in need of treatment and prevention options. Prevention strategies, including PrEP and other methods, can have a meaningful impact on public health, offering an unparalleled opportunity to avert new infections and reduce long term costs to the healthcare system.”

Dr. McDonald-Mosley added, “Training and resourcing more medical providers to provide HIV and PrEP education, with a particular focus on prevention in underserved communities, is a job for which Planned Parenthood is uniquely suited. For over 100 years, we’ve been fighting to ensure that people — no matter where they live — can access accurate, nonjudgmental preventive care and education so they can keep themselves and their families healthy.”

“Over 40% of people living with HIV in the U.S are Black. Nearly 50% of new HIV infections in this country are Black. and 1 in 32 black women, 1 in 16 black men, and 1 and 2 Black Gay men will be diagnosed with HIV infection in their lifetime. Yet 85% of current PrEP users are white men. What’s wrong with this picture“, says Leisha McKinley Beach, technical assistance consultant, Black AIDS Institute.

Kiehl’s Since 1851 Embarks On 8th Annual LifeRide For amfAR

Motorcycle Riding Influencers Ride Through the Midwest to Raise Awareness and Funds to Help Find a Cure for AIDS

Kiehl’s Limited Edition Ultimate Strength Hand Salve benefits amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. 100% of purchase price from the sale of this product, up to $25,000, will benefit amfAR. The Limited Edition Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is $28.50 at all Kiehl’s retail stores, Kiehls.com and specialty stores nationwide.

Maintaining its long-standing tradition of supporting HIV/AIDS charities, Kiehl’s Since 1851, the 166-year-old purveyor of the finest skincare, is pleased to announce its continued partnership with amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and the eighth annual Kiehl’s LifeRide for amfAR.

Inspired by a Kiehl’s icon – the motorcycle – a spirit of adventure and philanthropic heritage, the eighth annual LifeRide continues the brand’s mission to heighten awareness and raise funds for amfAR. This year the multi-city charity ride takes place over 8 days, from July 31-Aug. 7, 2017, beginning in Minneapolis and ending in Nashville.

Kiehl’s Since 1851 Limited Edition Ultimate Strength Hand Salve

Rallying with the public at nine store stops along the route, Kiehl’s will donate a total of $100,000 over the course of the ride. At each stop, the public can meet the riders, social media influencers, learn more about amfAR and contribute to the non-profit. At the conclusion of this year’s ride, Kiehl’s LifeRide for amfAR will have ridden more than 11,500 miles since 2010 and raised more than $1.7 million, funding nine cure-related research projects.

Chris Salgardo, President, Kiehl’s USA and Kevin Robert Frost, CEO, amfAR will lead this year’s riders:

• Ian Bohen, actor, Teen Wolf
• JR Bourne, actor, Somewhere Between
• Anthony Carrino, co-host, Kitchen Cousins
• Gilles Marini, actor, Switched at Birth
• Grant Reynolds, host/producer, What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
• Luke Wessman, tattoo artist, Miami/NY Ink
• Tyler Posey, actor, Teen Wolf

Key partners for the ride include Cadillac, Delta Air Lines, and Hedon helmets.

JOIN THE RIDE!

Kiehl’s and amfAR invite all to be a part of the ride: Press and public are welcome at the following stops:

MONDAY, JULY 31—MINNEAPOLIS

• Kiehl’s Since 1851, Mall of America, 8100 24th Ave., Bloomington, MN, 11 AM-12 PM
• Kiehl’s at Macy’s, Ridgedale Center, 12411 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka, MN, 12:30-1:30 PM

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 2—CHICAGOLAND

• Kiehl’s at Von Maur, Yorktown Center, 145 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL, 1:30-2:30 PM
• Kiehl’s at Bloomingdale’s, 900 North Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 4:30-5:30 PM

THURSDAY, AUG. 3—CHICAGOLAND

• Kiehl’s Since 1851, The Shops at North Bridge, 520 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 11 AM-12 PM

FRIDAY, AUG. 4—INDIANAPOLIS

• Kiehl’s Since 1851, The Fashion Mall at Keystone, 8702 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN, 12-1 PM

SATURDAY, AUG. 5—LEXINGTON

• Kiehl’s at Dillard’s, Fayette Mall, 3625 Nicholasville Rd., Lexington, KY, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

MONDAY, AUG. 7—NASHVILLE

• Kiehl’s at Dillard’s, CoolSprings Galleria, 1796 Galleria Blvd., Franklin, TN, 11AM-12PM

LIFERIDE FINALE!

• Kiehl’s Since 1851, The Mall at Green Hills, 2126 Abbott Martin Road, Nashville, TN, 12:30-1:30 PM

In celebration, every customer attending one of the events at the Kiehl’s retail stores will receive a 15% discount on all purchases, with the exception of charitable products and value sets.

Fun in the Sun: A Traveler’s Guide to Summer in Miami Beach

The summer season is in full swing, which means longer days, hot nights and more fun, making it one of the best times to visit Miami Beach. Travelers can start packing their bags now and head to Miami Beach’s pristine sands thanks to a few tricks-of-the-summer-trade to keep beach-goers safe and protected from the seasonal elements. Known for its year-round sunny skies, the vibrant destination not only produces its own branded suncare line, Miami Beach Suncare but has been ranked by TripAdvisor as a Top Winter Sun Vacation Rental Getaway Destinations, Top Romantic Destinations, Top 25 Beaches in the World and Top 25 Destinations in the U.S.

Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority logo (PRNewsFoto/Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority)

From free sunscreen to spa treatments, it’s easy to get a summer glow safely when visiting Miami Beach with these easy-to-follow tips:

Be Sun Savvy. Everyone enjoys a little time in the sun and there are ways to decrease the risk of sunburns. The American Cancer Society reports that people who are heavily exposed to UV rays, found in sunlight, are at greater risk of skin cancer and that putting on sunscreen, a hat or even sunglasses are easy ways to help decrease sun exposure risks.

In support of sun safety, The City of Miami Beach launched the first free Suncare dispenser program for its residents and visitors. There are 50 dispensers offering free Miami Beach Suncare SPF 30 Sea Kelp Sunscreen Lotion throughout the city’s public beaches, pools, and parks allowing users to enjoy fun in the sun safely.

Miami Beach offers free SPF to visitors and locals through the MB Suncare Dispenser program. This nationwide initiative which launched in Miami Beach will now be available in additional cities including Hempstead and Long Beach, NY.

“Summer is one of the best times to visit Miami Beach and we are dedicated to making it safe and easy for tourists and locals to enjoy the variety of activities available during this time of year with the Miami Beach free Suncare Dispenser Program,” says Peggy Benua, Chair of the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority. “We are a leader in this initiative that is extending to other cities across the nation, including the Town of Hempstead, NY, and City of Long Beach, NY.“

Apply Early And Repeat. The strongest hours of the sun are between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Re-applying sunscreen is key throughout the day, no matter where it takes you. From strolling Lincoln Road boutiques to breezy ocean walks, be sure to set an iPhone or watch alarm to sound every 2 hours as a reminder to lather! And remember, it’s just as important for visitors to load up on SPF on cloudy summer days as well!

Take Cover. Sound impossible to stay indoors during the day on Miami Beach? July is the start of Miami Spa Month (runs through August), offering the best excuse to stay indoors and indulge in luxury spa treatments focused on keeping skin hydrated and refreshed. Miami Spa Month Offers:

• Bamford Haybarn Spa at the 1 Hotel South Beach: Enjoy treatments like the Bamford Swedish Massage or Bamford Radiance Facial for $109 including complimentary valet, a beach chair and Plnthouse Kombucha.
• The Spa at The Setai, Miami Beach: Unwind with a relaxing Asian Fusion Massage for two or refresh with the Fresh Skin Ritual for $109, including perks like discounted valet and access to the exclusive pool and private beach area.
• The Spa at Ritz-Carlton, South Beach: De-stress with an aromatic Relaxation Massage, hydrate with a Deep Cleansing Facial or relax in a Zero Gravity Chair part of the Timeless Capsule Experience for $109 along with access to complimentary saunas, steam rooms, and lounges.
• Lapis Spa at Fontainebleau: Release tension with a Hot Rock Massage or Aromatic Swedish Massage treatment for two in an Oceanview spa suite for $139 and bask in complimentary eucalyptus steam baths and mineral pools.

Miami Beach is a favorite destination among travelers worldwide. Renowned for its unparalleled culinary offerings, extravagant nightlife, rich culture, luxe shopping and plush hotels, Miami Beach is home to unique museums, the New World Symphony, Miami City Ballet, Miami Beach Convention Center, international festivals and art exhibitions, boat and auto shows, over 187 boutique and resort hotels and 12 public parks; it is no wonder the beautifully diverse city is one of the world’s most popular vacation destinations. Boasting seven miles of breathtaking beaches, Miami Beach is easily accessible from the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport. The City of Miami Beach has been named one of the top cities worldwide for ‘walkability’ and is equally easy to navigate by bike or boat.

For more information on how to play it safe in the sun this summer, events and happenings for Miami Beach Spa Month, download the Miami Beach Information App at www.miamibeachapi.com/app/.

National AIDS Memorial Honors Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi for Three Decades of Courageous Leadership in the Fight Against HIV and AIDS

San Francisco’s Congresswoman, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, joined hundreds of volunteers at the National AIDS Memorial for a community volunteer workday to commemorate her 30 years in Congress. Since her first days in Washington D.C., she has been a leader, champion, and hero on the issue of HIV/AIDS and her avid support of the LGBT community.

(L-R) John Cunningham, Executive Director, National AIDS Memorial, joins Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi as she presents a special certificate of recognition to the National AIDS Memorial gardener Ali McCarthy at the National AIDS Memorial, San Francisco, Calif.(Photo Credit: Melvin Morris)

During the morning activities, Congresswoman Pelosi joined volunteers as they planted flowers, new shrubs, and a tree, in addition to helping maintain the grounds of the Nation’s AIDS Memorial. The event also marked a significant milestone for the National AIDS Memorial as it has surpassed 200,000 hours given by community volunteers to create and maintain the 10-acre living memorial.

For the past thirty years, Congresswoman Pelosi has worked courageously to advance the issue of HIV/AIDS, supporting major funding, research, and programs that have been critically important to the advancements and improvement of the quality of life for those living with the disease. In 1996 she successfully spearheaded the passage of legislation that was signed by President Bill Clinton designating San Francisco’s AIDS Memorial Grove, as a National Memorial.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and long-time volunteer Tom Jensen plant a new magnolia tree near the main entrance of the National AIDS Memorial on Bowling Green Drive, San Francisco, Calif., to commemorate her 30 years in Congress. (Photo Credit: Melvin Morris)

“Thirty years ago our community was ravaged by AIDS and with the leadership of Congresswoman Pelosi we came together here in this grove to heal and remember our lost friends and loved ones,” said John Cunningham, Executive Director, National AIDS Memorial. “Her courage to stand-up and fight for our community paved the way for this memorial. Without her leadership, is memorial would not be possible. We are forever grateful for her tireless spirit, love and willingness to fight for our cause.“

Congresswoman Pelosi has faithfully commemorated her milestone years in Congress by volunteering at the Grove. She has volunteered on many other occasions over the years, often bringing her family and grandchildren to be a regular part of the Grove’s Community Volunteer Workdays.

Since the first Workday in 1991, nearly 40,000 volunteers have participated in more than 300 Community Volunteer Workdays, donating more than 200,000 volunteer hours and planting more than 10,000 trees, plants and shrubs.

San Francisco Board of Supervisor Jeff Sheehy, California State Assembly Member David Chiu, California State Senator Scott Wiener join Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi at the NationalAIDS Memorial, San Francisco Calif., for a community workday to commemorate her 30 years in Congress. Also included –Mike Shriver, Chair, National AIDS Memorial, John Cunningham, Executive Director, National AIDS Memorial. (Photo Credit: Melvin Morris)

“The National AIDS Memorial is not just a place for where we come and remember those we’ve lost, it is a place where people from around the country, around the world, can come together to remember their lives, to hope and continue working tirelessly until we find a cure,” said Congresswoman Pelosi. “This sacred ground honors all who have been touched by HIV/AIDS but more importantly, it forever keeps their spirit, their love and their stories with us and so future generations never forget. This grove inspires us to keep fighting in their memory and for what’s right.”

For more information visit www.aidsmemorial.org, follow on Facebook @NationalAIDSMemorial or @AIDS_Memorial on Twitter.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center Receives $10,000 Grant From The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in Partnership with Macy’s

The Los Angeles LGBT Center has been awarded a grant for $10,000 from The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in partnership with Macy’s to fund an HIV prevention program tailored for LGBT youth. The grant will be used by the Center’s Sexual Health and Education Program, which provides cutting-edge HIV prevention care that includes rapid HIV antibody testing, ultra-sensitive PCR/DNA HIV testing, comprehensive Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing and STI treatment, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and more.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center

The Center is honored to be recognized by ETAF for its unique work in the community. Since 1969 the Los Angeles LGBT Center has cared for, championed and celebrated LGBT individuals and families in Los Angeles and beyond. Today the Center’s nearly 600 employees provide services for more LGBT people than any other organization in the world, offering programs, services, and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy. The organization is an unstoppable force in the fight against bigotry and the struggle to build a better world; a world in which LGBT people can be healthy, equal and complete members of society.

The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) logo

The late Dame Elizabeth Taylor established The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991 to support organizations delivering direct care and services to people living with HIV and AIDS, especially the most marginalized communities. Today, ETAF also provides grants for innovative HIV prevention education and advocacy programs to existing organizations around the world. With key domestic advocacy funding focuses on comprehensive sexual health education and HIV criminalization reform, ETAF continues to bring the marginalized to the center of attention and advocate for their rights. The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has granted to more than 675 organizations in 44 countries and nearly all 50 states in the U.S.

“The work that the Los Angeles LGBT Center does to help people affected by HIV/AIDS is impressive and very much aligned with Elizabeth Taylor’s passionate commitment to the cause,” said Joel Goldman, Managing Director of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. “ETAF and our partners at Macy’s are thrilled to present the Los Angeles LGBT Center with these funds to help further our shared mission.”

Through their Cause Marketing Program, Macy’s recognizes their responsibility to the community and their concern for the needs of their neighbors. They are proud to partner with ETAF and have contributed to this grant.

Immigrant Contributions To American Society Recognized With 2017 Vilcek Prizes

Visual Artist Nari Ward And Biophysicists Lily And Yuh-Nung Jan Receive $100,000 Vilcek Prizes

Winners Of Vilcek Prizes For Creative Promise Each Receive $50,000 Awards

The Vilcek Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the annual Vilcek Prizes, recognizing outstanding immigrant contributions to the American arts and sciences. The Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science will be awarded jointly to Chinese-born Lily and Yuh-Nung Jan, a collaborative research duo and professors of molecular physiology at the University of California, San Francisco. The Vilcek Prize in the Arts recognizes Jamaican-born Nari Ward, a New York-based visual artist known for found-object assemblage art. Each prize includes a $100,000 cash award. The prizewinners were selected by panels of experts in each field; they will be honored at an awards gala in New York City in April 2017.

“Like all great artists and scientists, these immigrant prizewinners challenge our very perceptions of the world,” said Rick Kinsel, president of the Vilcek Foundation. “Their works are attempts to understand fundamental questions and concepts in American society, from the neurological underpinnings of the self to the institution of democracy.”

The Vilcek Foundation was established in 2000 by Jan and Marica Vilcek, immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia. The mission of the foundation, to honor the contributions of immigrants to the United States and to foster an appreciation of the arts and sciences, was inspired by the couple’s respective careers in biomedical science and art history, as well as their personal experiences and appreciation for the opportunities they received as newcomers to this country. The foundation awards annual prizes to prominent immigrant biomedical scientists and artists and manages the Vilcek Foundation Art Collections, a promised gift from its founders.

This year, the Vilcek Prize in the Arts is awarded in the fine arts, marking the completion of an 11-year cycle through various disciplines in the arts and humanities. The recipient, Nari Ward, was born in Jamaica and immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12. He is known for found-object assemblage artworks that invite both a public conversation and an intimate dialogue with the viewer around topics of race, immigration, and the Caribbean diaspora identity. His usage of found objects aims to highlight the history of a place and the urgency of the moment; his installation Naturalization Drawing Table features a large desk—built out of Plexiglas bodega barriers—covered with dense linear drawings made over copies of Immigration and Naturalization Service applications. On select days during the exhibition, viewers are invited to “apply” for naturalization by lining up and filling out an application, giving them a taste of the bureaucratic process of applying for citizenship. Ward has won several prestigious art prizes, including the Joyce Award, the Rome Prize, a Bessie Award, and several other awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.

Lily and Yuh-Nung Jan were both born in China and raised in Taiwan. They came to the U.S. as graduate students of physics at the California Institute of Technology but switched their focus to biology, in part inspired by their mentor, the renowned biophysicist Max Delbrück. Over the course of a collaborative career spanning over four decades, the husband-and-wife team has made many significant discoveries in the field of neuroscience, with far-reaching clinical implications. They isolated the gene encoding a protein that shuttles potassium ions across cell membranes, enabling the characterization of a molecular player important to functions as vital as maintaining heart rate and controlling muscle movement. Today, this type of ion channel is implicated in diseases such as epilepsy, ataxia, and hypertension. Simultaneously, the Jans identified genes and principles underlying the processes by which neurons acquire distinct identities, burgeon into thickets, and establish precise circuits; their work in this area may help unravel human diseases such as autism and schizophrenia. Currently, professors of molecular physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, the Jans have been honored with membership in the United States National Academy of Sciences, as well as with Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator awards.

The Vilcek Foundation also awards the Vilcek Prizes for Creative Promise, given to younger immigrants who have shown substantial talent and ability early in their careers. Each prize includes a $50,000 cash award. The winners in the fine arts are the following:

Iman Issa, born in Egypt, a conceptual artist, creates objects and installations in an attempt to address complex philosophical questions. Her original area of study was phenomenology, a branch of philosophy that examines the structures of consciousness that organize subjective experience—or, put another way, how we take meaning from things we individually experience. Later, Issa realized that art allowed for nuanced exploration of those topics, and continued her philosophical questioning through art. She is particularly interested in monuments and memorials—aesthetic forms tasked with a function that holds a shifting relevance based on their location in time and relationship to history. Her work has been shown at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the 8th Berlin Biennial, and the New Museum, and she has received the DAAD 2017 Artist in Residence Award, the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award, and the HNF-MACBA Award.

Meleko Mokgosi, born in Botswana, is a slow, considered painter; behind every painting he produces are hours of research, reading, and conversations with people. Mokgosi is interested in depictions of Africa and its people; he believes that the widespread misrepresentation of Africa and Africans has done a violence to the people of the continent, and through his art he attempts a representation that is fair and just. He is deeply concerned with politics and seeks to understand and illuminate the relations of power that shape people, families, villages, regions, and nations. Mokgosi has been named the recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters Grant and the Jarl and Pamela Mohn Award, and he has shown his work at Art Basel, the Armory, the Hammer Museum, and the Whitney Museum.

For The Cure: Carson Kressley, Victor Cruz, Bill Nye And More Participate In First Ever Blue Jacket Fashion Show To Benefit The Prostate Cancer Foundation

Mario Cantone, Don Lemon, Ian Mellencamp, Thom Browne, Joseph Abboud, John Varvatos And Others Participate In National Awareness Campaign

Celebrities, media, and influencers gather at Pier 59 Studios as the inaugural Blue Jacket Fashion Show is set to begin

Yesterday, the inaugural Blue Jacket Fashion Show took place at Pier 59 Studios as part of New York Men’s Fashion Week. In partnership with Johnson & Johnson, the Blue Jacket Fashion Show benefited the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), founded by philanthropist and financier Michael Milken.

The Blue Jacket Fashion Show is the kick-off event for The Blue Jacket Initiative founded by Frederick Anderson and Laura Miller (Anderson/Miller) and is a national awareness campaign designed to demystify and create a platform to openly discuss men’s cancer issues. Anderson/ Miller is a marketing and promotion agency based in New York City.

The Show brought together the fashion, entertainment, sports, healthcare, and media worlds around a national platform to openly discuss men’s cancer issues, with an emphasis on prostate cancer. Coinciding with February’s Cancer Prevention Month and New York Men’s Fashion Week, the Show included participation from designers such as John Varvatos, Nick Graham, Joseph Abboud, Nicole Miller, Proper Cloth, Stephen F, Maggie Norris, Theory, Gustavo Moscoso, Craft Atlantic, Rag and Bone, Thom Browne and Haspel who used their creative talents to “reinvent” the traditional blue blazer.

Backstage at Pier59 Studios before the inaugural Blue Jacket Fashion Show, held in partnership with Johnson & Johnson to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation

Those walking the runway wearing one-of-a-kind blue jackets included models, actors, athletes, members of the media and business titans. Among those who walked are: actor Mario Cantone, musician and model Ian Mellencamp, New York Giants Wide Receiver Victor Cruz, TV personality Carson Kressley, science educator and host of the forthcoming Netflix series Bill Nye Saves the World Bill Nye, New York Yankees Pitcher CC Sabathia, New York Post’s Richard Johnson, model Alex Lundqvist, and CNN Anchor Don Lemon. Following the show, all of the specially designed jackets modeled were included in a live auction, with proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

According to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, statistics show that prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America. It affects everyone out of eight men at some point in their lifetimes. Every 3.3 minutes a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, and millions of men and their families are fighting this disease on any given day across the globe.

Joaquin Duato, Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson and Carson Kressley at the Blue Jacket Fashion Show benefiting the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Go Red For Women™ Red Dress Collection Fashion Show Returns to New York Fashion Week

The American Heart Association Go Red For Women™ Red Dress Collection 2017 Fashion Show Presented By Macy’s Merges Entertainment, Media And Fashion As Celebrities Raise Awareness Of Heart Disease And Stroke In Women

Celebrities on the runway include: Adrienne Bailon, Jessie James Decker, Diane Guerrero, Jazz Jennings, Juliette Lewis, Rachel Platten, and Laurie Hernandez

The American Heart Association announced that the Go Red For Women™ Red Dress Collection (Fashion Show) 2017 presented by Macy’s will return to New York Fashion Week at the Hammerstein Ballroom on Thursday, February 9, 2017. The fashion show is slated to feature 19 celebrities in gowns by top fashion designers. Founded by NHLBI’s The Heart Truth®, the event reminds women of the need to protect their heart health. The show begins at 8 p.m. ET, along with a Facebook Live on Go Red For Women‘s Facebook page.

Cardiovascular diseases cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year – more than all cancers combined. However, 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and action. The most important action: know your numbers. Knowing the most critical numbers for your heart health including Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, Blood Sugar, and Body Mass Index (BMI) could save your life. Go Red For Women and Macy’s are encouraging all women to learn their personal health numbers. Your heart might depend on it.

Macy’s, the founding national sponsor of Go Red For Women, is the presenting sponsor of the annual Go Red For Women Red Dress Collection. To date, Macy’s has raised more than $60 million through the generosity and commitment of Macy’s associates and customers, which has helped to directly fund women’s heart health research and education.

Walking in this year’s Go Red For Women’s Red Dress Collection presented by Macy’s are: Adrienne Bailon (co-host, The Real); Bonnie Somerville (Code Black); CCH Pounder (NCIS: New Orleans, Sons of Anarchy); Diane Guerrero (Orange is the New Black, Jane the Virgin); Jazz Jennings (activist/I am Jazz); Jeannie Mai (co-host, The Real); Jessie James Decker (singer/designer/reality star); Juliette Lewis (Secrets and Lies); Lauren Holly (Motive); Laurie Hernandez (Olympic Gymnast); Lea Thompson (Switched at Birth, Back to the Future); Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black); Lucy Lawless (Zena: Warrior Princess, Parks & Recreation); Lynn Whitfield (Greenleaf); Maureen McCormick (Dancing with the Stars); Peyton List (Jessie); Rachel Platten (singer); Stephanie March (Law & Order SVU); and Veronica Webb (model).

The Go Red For Women Red Dress Collection 2017 presented by Macy’s will feature three looks from designers in the not-for-profit, independently-run Fashion Incubator Programs housed at Macy’s: Masha Titievsky from the Chicago Fashion Incubator, Bethany Meuleners from Fashion Incubator San Francisco, and Amanda Casarez from the D.C. Fashion Incubator. Wearing these designs will be Lorraine Toussaint in VARYFORM by Masha Titievsky, CCH Pounder in Bethany Meuleners, and Veronica Webb in Amanda Casarez.

This year, for the first time ever, heart disease survivors will be walking alongside the celebrities. Last year, Macy’s took its commitment to women’s health to the next level by holding a nationwide employee associate casting call to identify five associates from Macy’s stores who’ve been personally impacted by heart disease. Odilia Cristabel Flores from New York City, a Senior Manager in Macy’s Social Compliance Department, and AHA Real Woman Nicole Hardy from Scarborough, Maine will be hitting the runway to raise awareness for a cause they know all too well.

During the month of February, Macy’s offers customers additional ways to support this worthy cause through merchandise that gives back, including this limited-edition red dress by Calvin Klein (above, $134.00).

“We are grateful to all of the celebrities and survivors walking in this year’s Go Red For Women Red Dress Collection for inspiring women world-wide to prioritize their heart health and make ‘Know Your Numbers’ actionable,” said Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer, American Heart Association. “The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement is honored to be a part of New York Fashion Week with Macy’s, to shine a bright light on women’s heart disease, both on and off the runway.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention Announces National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2017, February 7

African Americans are the racial/ethnic group most affected by HIV in the United States. Gay and bisexual men account for more than half of estimated new HIV diagnoses among African Americans. The number of HIV diagnoses among African American women has declined, though it is still high compared to women of other races/ethnicities.

February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD). The theme for NBHAAD, I Am My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper: Fight HIV/AIDS, emphasizes the role that everyone can play in HIV prevention.

Coordinated by the Strategic Leadership Council, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is observed each year on February 7 to increase HIV education, testing, community involvement, and treatment among black communities.

Compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States, blacks/African Americans* have a disproportionate burden of HIV and AIDS. While blacks represent approximately 12% of the US population, they account for more new HIV diagnoses (44%) and people living with HIV (41%) than any other racial/ethnic group. Among all blacks, black gay and bisexual men account for the majority of new infections. Young black gay and bisexual men are especially affected.

HIV and AIDS Diagnoses b

• In 2014, 44% (19,540) of estimated new HIV diagnoses in the United States were among African Americans, who comprise 12% of the US population.
• Among all African Americans diagnosed with HIV in 2014, an estimated 73% (14,305) were men and 26% (5,128) were women.
• Among all African Americans diagnosed with HIV in 2014, an estimated 57% (11,201) were gay or bisexual men.c Of those gay and bisexual men, 39% (4,321) were young men aged 13 to 24.
• From 2005 to 2014, the number of new HIV diagnoses among African American women fell 42%, though it is still high compared to women of other races/ethnicities. In 2014, an estimated 1,350 Hispanic/Latino women and 1,483 white women were diagnosed with HIV, compared to 5,128 African American women.
• From 2005 to 2014, the number of new HIV diagnoses among African American gay and bisexual men increased 22%. But that number stabilized in recent years, increasing less than 1% since 2010.
• From 2005 to 2014, the number of new HIV diagnoses among young African American gay and bisexual men (aged 13 to 24) increased 87%. But that trend has leveled off recently, with the number declining 2% since 2010.
• In 2014, an estimated 48% (10,045) of those diagnosed with AIDS in the United States were African Americans. By the end of 2014, 42% (504,354) of those ever diagnosed with AIDS were African Americans.

Living With HIV and Deaths

Macy’s Goes Red for Heart Health This February in Support of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women™

Macy’s will go red for women’s heart health again this February in honor of American Heart Month. As the founding national sponsor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement, Macy’s will offer limited-edition merchandise and promotions to benefit Go Red For Women. Since 2004, Macy’s customers and associates have raised $60 million to support the fight against heart disease in women, and over that time, 293 more lives have been saved every day from heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association‘s national movement to end heart disease and stroke in women. Cardiovascular diseases in the U.S. kill approximately one woman every 80 seconds. The good news is that 80 percent of cardiac events may be prevented with education and lifestyle changes. Go Red For Women advocates for more research and swifter action for women’s heart health. The American Heart Association‘s Go Red For Women movement is nationally sponsored by Macy’s, with additional support from additional cause supporters.

GO RED WITH MACY’S: Cardiovascular diseases kill nearly one in three women each year, but 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and action. That is why Macy’s encourages customers and associates to band together to prevent and fight cardiovascular diseases by participating in Go Red with Macy’s from Wednesday, Feb. 1 to Monday, Feb. 6. Customers can wear red or purchase the Official Red Dress Pin for $3 to receive 25 percent off on a great selection of items storewide, plus 15 percent off select home, fine and fashion jewelry, and sale and clearance watches. (Exclusions and restrictions apply.) One hundred percent of the pin sales will benefit Go Red For Women. Macy’s associates will also be wearing red in-store to create further awareness for the pin sale and celebrate National Wear Red Day on Feb. 3.

MERCHANDISE THAT GIVES BACK: During the month of February, Macy’s offers customers additional ways to support this worthy cause through merchandise that gives back, including three limited-edition red dresses by Kensie ($99.00), Thalia ($89.50) and Calvin Klein ($134.00). For all three styles, 10 percent of the purchase price from Feb. 1 through Feb. 28 will be donated to Go Red For Women. To go red and get fit in style, Macy’s also offers exclusive Ideology active wear, which includes four graphic t-shirts where 10 percent of the purchase price will be donated to Go Red For Women. The dresses and active wear will be available in most stores and online at www.macys.com/GoRed.

GO RED FOR WOMEN LUNCHEONS: Go Red For Women Luncheons will take place in 186 cities across the country, raising much-needed funds for the cause. Luncheon guests will receive a $10 Macy’s gift card, and guests of select luncheons will be eligible to win a $250 Macy’s gift card. At select luncheons, Estée Lauder will also have an activation for guests featuring a free lipstick when guests return to any Macy’s store.

THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S® GO RED FOR WOMEN® RED DRESS COLLECTION™, PRESENTED BY MACY’S: Macy’s is, once again, the presenting sponsor of the American Heart Association’s® Go Red For Women® Red Dress Collection™, which has kicked off New York Fashion Week since 2003, in support of women’s heart health. The Red Dress Collection will be unveiled on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. at The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. This year’s runway show will feature inspiring and powerful female celebrities who will walk the runway to showcase emerging and established designers. Three of the red dresses featured on the runway will be created by designers in Fashion Incubator Programs, which are housed at Macy’s locations and develop the next generation of fashion trendsetters. The designers-in-residence featured are Amanda Casarez from DC Fashion Incubator, Bethany Meuleners from Fashion Incubator San Francisco and Masha Titievsky from Chicago Fashion Incubator.

HIV & AIDS in the United States Update: World AIDS Day Letter

The following letter was released by Dr. Jonathan H. Mermin and Dr. Eugene McCray of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention in celebration of World AIDS Day 2016.

December 1 is World AIDS Day, a day to unite in the fight against HIV, support people living with HIV, and honor those who have lost their life. This year’s theme, Leadership. Commitment. Impact., asks each of us to strengthen our commitment to stop HIV using the most up-to-date, evidence-based HIV interventions, prevention tools, and testing options available. In 2015, 39,513 people received a diagnosis of HIV, and over 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the United States.

Recent trends in HIV diagnoses show some promising signs of progress. From 2010 to 2014, the annual number of HIV diagnoses in the United States declined by 9%, driven by declines among heterosexuals and people who inject drugs (PWID). Diagnoses stabilized among gay and bisexual men overall, though trends varied by age, race and ethnicity. African Americans and Latinos continue to be disproportionally affected by HIV, compared with other races and ethnicities.

Despite gains in HIV prevention among PWID, the prescription opioid epidemic and increases in heroin use may threaten this success. PWID are at high risk for HIV and viral hepatitis if they share injection equipment. Today, we have options to help ensure that all PWID have access to prevention services. According to a new edition of CDC’s Vital Signs, released this week,

• PWID account for 9% of HIV diagnoses in the United States, though they make up only 0.3% of the population.
• Last year, only 1 in 4 PWID (in 22 US cities) got all their syringes from sterile sources such as syringe services programs (SSPs) and pharmacies.
• SSPs that are comprehensive not only provide PWID with better access to sterile injection equipment, but also medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder, HIV and hepatitis testing, and other HIV prevention options like condoms, behavioral interventions, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP, a daily pill that can prevent HIV).

States and local communities now have the opportunity to use federal funds under some circumstances to support SSPs. CDC guidance is available for partners interested in implementing SSPs, where permitted by local law.

On World AIDS Day and every day, [the] CDC is dedicated to reducing new HIV infections among all populations and improving health outcomes for those who are living with HIV. Current activities include

• Awards of at least $330 million each year since 2012 ($343.7 million in 2015) to health departments to direct resources to the populations and geographic areas of greatest need and prioritize the HIV prevention strategies that will have the greatest impact.

• The Capacity Building Assistance for High-Impact HIV Prevention national program that provides training and technical assistance for health departments, community-based organizations, and health care organizations to help them better address gaps in the HIV continuum of care and provide high-impact prevention to HIV-negative persons.

• The Act Against AIDS initiative that raises awareness about HIV testing and prevention through campaigns and partnerships. For example,

• Let’s Stop HIV Together is a campaign that raises awareness and fights stigma among all Americans and provides stories about people living with HIV.

• Doing It is a national testing and prevention campaign that encourages all adults to know their HIV status and make HIV testing a part of their regular health routine.

• Partnering and Communicating Together (PACT) to Act Against AIDS is a partnership with organizations such as AIDS United and I Choose Life to raise HIV awareness among populations disproportionately affected by HIV.

Thank you for your hard work and commitment to prevent HIV. Through our commitment, collaboration, and coordination, we can continue to reduce HIV incidence for all Americans and help all people with HIV live long, healthy lives.

Sincerely,

Jonathan H. Mermin, MD, MPH

RADM and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS/Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/nchhstp

Eugene McCray, MD

Director, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov/hiv

Gap, in Partnership with (RED), Launches Limited-Edition Collection of Utility Jackets Designed by International Street Artists

The Unisex Collection Available For Adults And Kids Launches In Conjunction With World Aids Day With Proceeds Benefitting The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Gap is continuing to commemorate (RED)’s 10th anniversary and its role as the founding apparel partner of the AIDS organization founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver. In anticipation of World AIDS Day, on December 1, Gap will launch a collection of their iconic Utility Jackets featuring custom designs by six of the most renowned female street artists from around the world. The talented group of women is notable for their exciting, thought-provoking work and for creating awareness of contributions by women in street art.

The unisex styles for men and women was launched on November 29th, coinciding with Giving Tuesday, a day to give back and do good. A portion of proceeds of this collection will be donated to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, adding to the $10 million dollars that Gap has already contributed to the organization over the last 10 years.

The collection includes designs by Shiro, KASHINK, Kelsey Montague, FAITH XLVII and AIKO retailing for $198, as well as a special crochet jacket by Olek retailing for $298. Designs by Shiro and Kelsey Montague will also be offered in versions for boys and girls for $128.

Olek: Olek is a Polish-born street artist and activist whose preferred medium — crochet — captivates audiences all over the world. Inspired by everything from personal text messages to train travel, she believes that life and art are inseparable.

Shiro: Shiro is an internationally recognized graffiti artist from Japan. She loves music, people, and culture. Shiro travels by herself and paints walls all over the world.

KASHINK: KASHINK is an internationally recognized street artist and social activist from Paris. Her large-scale murals celebrate the beauty of human diversity.

Kelsey Montague: Kelsey Montague is an international street artist and coloring book author known for intricate pen-and-ink drawings and a thriving social media campaign that transforms her interactive public murals into living works of art.

FAITH XLVII: A prolific, internationally acclaimed South African visual artist, FAITH XLVII is known for her street paintings, which explore the human condition. Her work spans many mediums, from painting and printmaking to video.

AIKO: Since moving from her native Tokyo to NYC in the late 90’s, AIKO has become a well-respected contemporary artist in the international street art scene, where her feminine, Pop Art-inspired graffiti has a global following.

(RED) was founded in 2006 to engage businesses and people in the fight against AIDS. (RED) partners with the world’s most iconic brands that contribute up to 50% of profits from (RED)-branded goods and services to the Global Fund. (RED) Proud Partners include: Apple, Bank of America, Beats by Dr. Dre, Belvedere, Claro, The Coca-Cola Company, GAP, Lokai, MCM, NetJets, Salesforce, SAP, Starbucks, Telcel. (RED) Special Edition partners include: aden+anais, Alessi, ALEX AND ANI, Fatboy USA, Fresh, Girl Skateboards, Gretsch, HEAD, Le Creuset, Live Nation Entertainment, Moleskine, Mophie, Piaggio and Wolfnoir.

To date, (RED) has generated $360 million for the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, to support HIV/AIDS grants in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. 100 percent of that money goes to work on the ground – no overhead is taken. Global Fund grants that (RED) supports have impacted more than 70 million people with prevention, treatment, counseling, HIV testing and care services. (RED) is a division of The ONE Campaign. Learn more at www.red.org

“Gap is thrilled to partner with these talented and visionary women who are each bringing their own creative aesthetic to our iconic utility jacket,” said Wendi Goldman, Gap executive vice president and chief product officer. “We worked closely with (RED) to select artists with diverse points of view who are creating meaningful work that inspires and empowers. Each jacket offers a unique expression that customers can wear with pride to show their commitment to (RED)‘s important mission.”

“We are so grateful to these extraordinary artists for applying their limitless talent to further (RED)’s fight against AIDS,” said Deborah Dugan, (RED) chief executive officer. “This collaboration with Gap is truly unique and can’t fail to capture the imaginations of fashion fans this winter.”

World AIDS Day 2016: A Public Dedication of the New York City AIDS Memorial

Community Leaders, Activists, Donors, And Elected Officials To Gather At Seventh Avenue & Greenwich Avenue On December 1, 2016

On World AIDS Day 2016 (December 1), advocates and members of the HIV/AIDS communities will come together to remember those lost to AIDS, to honor the lives of those living with HIV, and to hold the vision for an end to the AIDS epidemic in New York.

(PRNewsFoto/New York City AIDS Memorial)

The New York City AIDS Memorial Board of Directors and representatives, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York State Department of Health, and the END AIDS NY 2020 Coalition have joined forces to host a public dedication of the newly completed New York City AIDS Memorial. The event opens to press at 10:15 a.m. and the program will begin at 11:00 a.m.

Artist rendition of the New York City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle.

The Memorial is the primary feature of a new public park, the New York City AIDS Memorial Park at St. Vincent’s Triangle. The park sits between Seventh Avenue, Greenwich Avenue and West 12th Street in Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood and is the culmination of five years of planning and development. The Memorial project was launched in 2011 by Christopher Tepper and Paul Kelterborn to recognize and preserve the history of the AIDS crisis through the creation of a memorial to honor New York City’s 100,000+ men, women and children who have died from AIDS, and to commemorate and celebrate the efforts of the caregivers and activists who responded heroically to the crisis and continue to work towards the end of AIDS today. More than $6 million has been raised for the design, construction and maintenance of the Memorial, which has benefited from the generosity of many notable contributors, including world-renowned visual artist Jenny Holzer.

This World AIDS Day program will be emceed by Tony Award-winning performer Billy Porter. The program will feature a formal dedication by the New York City AIDS Memorial Board of Directors, words from elected officials, a memorial reading of names, a poetry reading by Kamilah Aisha Moon, and a performance by the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus. Representatives from the State and City Health Departments will also speak.

END AIDS NY 2020 is a statewide coalition of over 70 organizations and individuals committed to seeing an end to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York through initiatives that expand access to testing, treatment, prevention, as well as housing and other vital services. We have the power to reduce annual new HIV infections from roughly 3,000 to under 750 and eliminate HIV/ AIDS-related deaths by the year 2020. The coalition has been working together on policy and also has joined forces for a New York-wide World AIDS Day event for the past two years at the Apollo Theater.

For more information or to contribute to the New York City AIDS Memorial, visit www.nycaidsmemorial.org.

2016 Holiday Gift Guide: This Holiday, Buy Gifts That Give Back To Support Children through UNICEF

Shoppers Can Purchase Gifts That Give Back To The World’s Children From UNICEF Partners ALEX AND ANI, Pier 1 Imports®, Star Wars: Force for Change, Target, And More

“Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood.”

This holiday season, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF is encouraging shoppers to stand with UNICEF and give every child hope by purchasing gifts that support UNICEF’s work to save and improve the lives of children around the world.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States.

Mohamed Alhoussein, 7 years old, washes his hands outside of his classroom at the Tabareybarey refugee camp,Tillaberi region, Niger. (C) UNICEF/UNI201289/Phelps (PRNewsFoto/U.S. Fund for UNICEF)

UNICEF Market offers handcrafted products that benefit children in need, as well as supporting artists from Asia, Africa and Latin America. From jewelery to accessories to home décor, each item purchased supports UNICEF programs that provide children with basic necessities such as lifesaving nutrition, medicine, education, clean water, emergency relief and more.

For the first time, UNICEF Market shoppers are invited to curate collections for a chance to win a Smithsonian Journeys ten day trip for two to Peru. In the tradition of Smithsonian Journeys, the Smithsonian Institution‘s worldwide travel program, with their dedication to inspiring lifelong learning and a passion for exploring the world, shoppers can curate online gift collections alongside mood images, to showcase their creativity, while supporting the world’s children through choosing gifts from UNICEF Market.

“Children are disproportionately affected by conflicts and natural disasters, as we have seen this year with drought caused by El Niño and the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis,” said Caryl M. Stern, president & CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “This holiday season, we are asking people to choose gifts that support UNICEF’s efforts to help the world’s most vulnerable children survive and thrive.”

UNICEF Inspired Gifts www.inspiredgifts.org, will also be available to buy this year. These lifesaving items can be purchased in honor of a loved one and go directly to help children in need in developing countries. Some examples of UNICEF Inspired Gifts include the following:

Therapeutic Food: A “miracle food”, this peanut-based paste can mean the difference between life and death. This gift provides quick, lifesaving nourishment to 15 malnourished children for five days ($70.20).

Measles Vaccinations: Measles is still a leading global cause of vaccine-preventable death and disability in childhood. For $30, this inspired gift will provide vaccines for 80 children.

The UNICEF Kid Power Band gives kids the power to get active and save lives. By getting active with the world’s first WEARABLE-FOR-GOOD™, kids go on missions to learn about new cultures and earn points. Points unlock funding from partners, parents and fans, and funds are used by UNICEF to deliver lifesaving packets of therapeutic food to severely malnourished children around the world.

UNICEF Kid Power Band

UNICEF Kid Power is a program of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, and is made possible through the generous support of Presenting Sponsors Star Wars: Force for Change and Target.*

People everywhere are joining the UNICEF Kid Power Team, working together to help end global malnutrition. To date, the UNICEF Kid Power Team has earned more than 12 million Kid Power Points, enough to unlock more than 5.1 million packets of therapeutic food – and counting. Families can join the Team by purchasing a UNICEF Kid Power Band — available this holiday season in Target stores and on Target.com — and downloading the free companion UNICEF Kid Power App. UNICEF Kid Power Bands are available in blue, orange, and two special Star Wars: Force for Change editions in black and green.