Winter 2009 Treasurer Message

Thanks to the generous financial support of XCIP, on Saturday, 5th December, GALAXe hosted their 17th annual holiday shop and wrap event to provide holiday boxes for patients of the AIDS Community Health Center (ACHC). This year’s event was co-sponsored by the by the Xerox Caucus groups in Monroe County, and Out & Equal NY Finger Lakes. More than 30 Xerox employees, friends, families and local LGBT colleagues joined together at the Rochester GAGV youth community center to fill and deliver 160 holiday boxes. The holiday shop & wrap Project is a GALAXE PRIDE AT WORK annual tradition of caring about and sharing with members of the local community who do not have the resources and opportunity to provide for themselves. While most of us spend the end of year holidays enjoying the fruits of our labors, those members of society unfortunate to be impoverished as well as suffering from HIV or AIDS have little to look forward to. Our goal has been to lighten the financial load for people living with HIV/AIDS in Monroe County, and to give a bit of hope – and doing this in a fun and creative way. Since 1992, GALAXE PRIDE AT WORK employees have partnered with AIDS Community Health Center, a Rochester area clinic that provides services to many AIDS patients on public assistance. Most of ACHC clients are too sick to work or are families with children and rely on savings and public assistance to get by. Food stamps, however, cannot be used to buy basic necessities like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. GALAXe is the Xerox caucus group for employees who are – or who support – gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered persons. www.galaxe.org
Jason Barnecut - Treasurer