Bell Atlantic Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant For New York AIDS Coalition Technology Initiative

Bell Atlantic Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant For New York
AIDS Coalition Technology Initiative

Innovative Grant Helps Community-Based AIDS Organizations
Serve People Living with HIV and AIDS

November 17, 1999

NEW YORK -- The New York AIDS Coalition (NYAC) will launch a
multi-faceted technology initiative with the aid of a $25,000 grant from
the Bell Atlantic Foundation.

The grant, which will ultimately benefit thousands of people living with
HIV and AIDS, will be used to establish a Web site and a database that
will enable hundreds of community-based HIV and AIDS service
organizations throughout the state to share information.

"We are grateful for committed partners such as the Bell Atlantic
Foundation that recognize the challenges faced by AIDS service providers
and are willing to provide needed and difficult to find funds for us to do
the work we need to do," said Amy Herman, New York AIDS Coalition
executive director.

"With this funding, we will be better able to assist our members in taking
advantage of the wealth of information and resources available to them
through the Internet and new technology. This will ensure that people
with HIV and AIDS in New York State will receive the best care and
service they possibly can," Herman said.

Suzanne DuBose, president of the Bell Atlantic Foundation, said: "The
Bell Atlantic Foundation is pleased to join the New York AIDS Coalition
in extending the power of the Internet to HIV and AIDS service
organizations throughout the state. We hope it helps promote information
sharing and enhances efficient service delivery."

The primary objectives of the New York AIDS Coalition's technology
initiative include:

• Establishing a shared Web site for coalition members. A new
  Internet Web site will enable people living with HIV or AIDS and
  their service providers to gain instant access to an online repository of
  relevant public policy, treatment, research and advocacy information.

• Establishing a comprehensive organizational database. In addition
  to its new Web site, NYAC will create a comprehensive, relational
  database to record, track and summarize large amounts of information,
  including contact information for public officials, pending AIDS-
  related legislation, voting records of elected officials, contact and
  media lists, resource guides and service directories.

Founded in 1988, New York AIDS Coalition (NYAC) unites more than
200 service organizations and programs serving tens of thousands of
people living with HIV/AIDS and heir families throughout New York
State. Together, NYAC and its members work to secure increased
funding for HIV/AIDS prevention, services and care, and for fair and
human government policies that will benefit all people and communities
infected with and affected by HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit
www.nyaidscoalition.org on the Internet.

The Bell Atlantic Foundation supports a variety of projects domestically
and internationally, with an emphasis on new technology applications in
education, health and human services, the arts and humanities, and civic
development in communities served by Bell Atlantic. For more
information, visit www.bellatlanticfoundation.com on the Internet.