HISTORY

A group of individuals, committed to address the issues of AIDS in York County from a faith perspective, convened in September of 1992. In June of 1994, the ecumenical group became a working committee of the York County Council of Churches dedicated to help move our community "beyond fear to healing, beyond judgment to justice and beyond isolation to service" (from Baltimore Interfaith Network bulletin). OPEN is a program of the York County Council of Churches. Our name (OPEN), Ordinary People, Extraordinary Needs, describes those we wish to serve.

OPEN provides education, emergency assistance and transportation for those who qualify under the OPEN guidelines. Referrals are requested from case managers. 

COMMEMORATIVE HOLIDAY ORNAMENT

2012 Collector's Edition Holiday Ornament - Together We Can Find a Way!

We invite you to support the OPEN program through the purchase of our collector's edition holiday ornament. This year's ornament features a festive North Pole directional sign and delightful little holiday penguin ready to help find the way to hope, dreams and the possibilities of all. Orders may be placed now by contacting the OPEN office at 717-854-9504. 

Together We Can Find a Way! is a solid brass ornament with a 24-karat gold and enamel finish. This elegant ornament is suspended from a red ribbon, the international symbol for HIV/AIDS awareness.

Proceeds from the sale of this ornament support the emergency assistance and transportation progam of the OPEN ministry.  Previous years ornaments are also available. For more information contact the OPEN office at 717-854-9504.    

International AIDS Conference - "Turning the Tide Together"

The XIX International AIDS Conference is convening in Washington, DC, July 22-27. Keynote speakers include singer Elton John, former US President Bill Clinton, and philanthropist Bill Gates. For more information go to www.cdc.gov/aids2012.

STATISTICS

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States. One in five (21%) of those people living with HIV is unaware of their infection.

Despite increases in total number of people living with HIV in the US in recent years, the annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable. However, new infections continue at far too high a level, with an estimated 56,300 Americans becoming infected with HIV each year.

More than 18,000 people with AIDS still die each year in the US. Through 2007, more than 576,000 people with AIDS in the US have died since the epidemic began.

                                                                            (taken from CDC article July 2010)