In honor of the Boston Living Center’s 30th anniversary, the BLC’s annual Celebration of Life dinner’s 2019 theme is Homecoming, in tribute to “the many ways in which the Center has served as a ‘home away from home’ for thousands of people living with HIV/AIDs over the years.”
This year’s shindig takes place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 6, at The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, located at 415 Summer Street, in Boston. Admission is free with an RSVP (required) to anyone diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and by invitation to special guests. Click here for more information.
At the event:
- VIP and TIPS Volunteers serve a sit-down meal to guests from the HIV/AIDS community, many of whom are living below the poverty line.
- Presentation of the Peter Daniel Clark Award to Paul Glass, a long-time advocate for improving access to HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services for elder LGBTQ+ people of color. Glass serves on the advisory board for both the statewide Consumer Advisory Board and the Massachusetts Integrated Prevention and Care Committee in the Office of HIV/AIDS Services at DPH. He is also the current president of LGBT Elders of Color, and a member of both the Mass Commission on LGBT Aging and the Cape Code Coalition for LGBT Older Adults.
- Presentation of the 2019 Brenda Bellizeare “Better It Gets” Award to William Chang, a member of the BLC who inspires other members by volunteering daily and welcoming new members.
- Live performance by Soul Revival
- Special guests
Some background:
In 1988, a small group of friends facing an unknown disease, one which had already claimed many of their peers, gathered to share a meal and celebrate another year of life. This meal started an annual tradition, a Celebration of Life for people living with HIV/AIDS. Although Celebration of Life founder Peter Daniel Clark died from AIDS-related complications in 1992, his sister Debbie Fellmann still honors his legacy each year by presenting the Peter Daniel Clark Award to a leader in the HIV/AIDS services community. In 2017, at the request of members of the Boston Living Center, the Brenda Bellizeare ‘BIG’ Better it Gets named after a former staff member award was added as a way for members to recognize one of their own.
The Boston Living Center, part of the Victory Programs organization, supports hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS every year with nutrition, education, wellness, and peer support services to reduce stigma, build community, and help both newly diagnosed individuals and long-term survivors make informed decisions about their health and wellness.
Victory Programs has more than 40 years of experience opening doors to hope, health, and housing for vulnerable members of our community. Since its inception in 1975, the agency has expanded to 19 health, housing, and prevention programs providing a broad range of treatment, shelter, and support services to more than 3,200 individuals and families each year. Throughout its organizational growth, Victory Programs’ commitment to those struggling with homelessness, substance use disorders, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and viral hepatitis remains its top priority.
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