[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 58 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2824-H2825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       AIDS FOUNDATION OF CHICAGO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the 25th 
anniversary of an extraordinary organization--the AIDS Foundation of 
Chicago. The AIDS Foundation is not just an Illinois treasure. It is 
recognized across the Nation as a leader in HIV/AIDS policy and 
service.
  The AIDS Foundation was founded in 1985 at the height of the HIV/AIDS 
epidemic when an AIDS diagnosis was a

[[Page H2825]]

death sentence. HIV had been identified 2 years earlier, but effective 
treatment was still not available. Many of us watched helplessly as 
friends and loved ones passed away.
  AFC was founded by friends of mine, Dr. Renslow Sherer, Dr. Ron 
Sable, Judy Carter, and William Young. Its mission: to lead the fight 
against HIV/AIDS and improve the lives of people affected by the 
epidemic.
  Thanks to AFC's role as a force for change, lives have been saved and 
lives have been changed. AFC helped turned the tide of this epidemic in 
Illinois and across the country by working with community organizations 
to develop and improve HIV/AIDS services, funding and coordinating 
prevention, care, and advocacy, and acting as a champion for effective, 
compassionate HIV/AIDS policy.
  In its position as the hub of HIV/AIDS services in Chicago, AFC has 
worked with its partner agencies to connect people living with or 
affected by HIV/AIDS with the care, housing, and prevention services 
that keep HIV infection from being the death sentence it once was.
  Through its advocacy efforts, AFC has given a voice to those who 
would otherwise go unheard, empowering those living with the disease to 
be their own advocates, holding those of us in power accountable, and 
keeping the human face of the epidemic fresh in our eyes and close to 
our hearts.
  Many of the life-saving programs established by this body have been 
implemented on the ground by AFC and its community partners. Again and 
again, AFC has proven itself to be a dedicated steward of public and 
private resources. Its innovative approaches to coordinating HIV/AIDS 
prevention and care services such as case management and support of 
housing programs have been repeatedly recognized as national models.
  From the west side of Chicago to West Africa, AFC has partnered with 
community organizations to support vital prevention, education, and 
care programs that would otherwise go unfunded. These activities 
reflect the true scope of the HIV/AIDS epidemic running the gamut from 
the local and State level to the national and international stage.
  Because of the richness of these links, AFC is uniquely positioned to 
build coalitions and grassroots advocacy networks to effect change. Its 
leadership in countless campaigns for more and better HIV/AIDS 
prevention, care and housing services has empowered those communities 
impacted by the epidemic to directly engage their elected officials and 
demand the life-saving services that they need.
  As a Member of Congress, I rely on AFC to provide me with policy 
advice and, as important, to describe the on-the-ground needs and 
concerns that must be addressed.
  And so I would like to congratulate AFC President and CEO Mark 
Ishaug, Board Chair Aaron Baker, and their staff and volunteers for 
their leadership and dedication in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Thanks 
to your hard work over the last 25 years, we now know that this is a 
fight in which one day we will be victorious.

                          ____________________