Community Innovation Program 2003

The GlaxoSmithKline - Shire BioChem Community Innovation Program promotes innovative projects that meet the needs of targeted groups of people living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) who face greater difficulty gaining access to services, antiretroviral treatment and the health system.

Thirteen non-profit organizations across Canada shared the $100,000 available in 2003 through the Program. To date, the Program has granted $860,000 to community-based AIDS service organizations in Canada.

This year's Program recipients, and the amounts of their grants, are as follows:

Africans in Partnership Against AIDS - $4,500

To translate selected CATIE "Plain & Simple" HIV treatment information fact sheets into several African languages.(*)

AIDS Committee of York Region - $10,000

In collaboration with Transit Georgina, to provide a free transportation service for geographically isolated PHA's in York Region to access HIV Care in Toronto.

AIDS Saint John - $9,500

To enhance the organization's support and referral capacity for HIV+ injection drug users, thereby assisting this population to access antiretroviral treatment.

AIDS Vancouver - $6,000

In collaboration with immigrant serving agencies, to build the agency's capacity to provide health care planning and counselling for immigrant and refugee families where at least one family member is HIV+. (*)

ANKORS - AIDS Network, Outreach & Support Society - $4,275

To increase access to support and medical care in the Kootenay/Boundary area for rural and semi-rural PHAs.

British Columbia Persons with AIDS Society - $9,125

In collaboration with Positive Women's Network and CATIE, to design, create, and distribute a CD-ROM slide kit focused on women-specific HIV treatment options.

Comité des personnes atteintes du VIH du Québec - $11,300

To update the agency's treatment information website and create an interactive web-based French-language bulletin board focused on HIV and antiretroviral treatments, thereby improving information access for PHAs who face distance and/or confidentiality barriers.

HIV Peer Support Group - $6,000

In collaboration with the Southern Alberta Clinic and other organizations, to provide a Peer Support training program that equips volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to provide counselling on HIV and related issues. (*)

HIV/AIDS Regional Services - $3,000

In collaboration with the Victorian Order of Nurses and agency volunteers, to provide rural and semi-rural PHAs with transportation access to HIV clinical and dental care.

Manitoba AIDS Cooperative - $8,500

To provide HIV treatment information to key target populations through skills-building, research, peer presentations and province-wide materials distribution. (*)

Prisoners with HIV/AIDS Support Action Network - $6,800

In collaboration with Voices of Positive Women and Queen West Community Health Centre, to develop and launch a weekly treatment education, social and support drop-in for HIV+ women in conflict with the law.

Regent Park Community Health Centre - Committee for Accessible Treatment - $15,000

To develop, implement and evaluate the HIV Medication Access Project, co-ordinating short-term provision of HIV medications to PHAs pursuing immigrant or refugee status and/or to PHAs otherwise facing short-term barriers accessing treatment.

Voices of Positive Women Support Services - $6,000

In collaboration with Casey House, to provide HIV+ women with access to basic health care through the provision of a bi-weekly community-based nursing clinic.

(*) indicates grants donated by Shire BioChem; the remainder by the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation.