Photo: Drop in “Living Room” space partially funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation

The Pride Center’s well-known PALS (Positive Action for Living Safely) Project recently received a $75,000 grant from the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The newly funded “LIFE Goes On” program will allow PALS to upgrade its service to the community through peer education, wellness seminars, provider training and a drop-in space.

“This grant allows PALS to expand health and prevention work not only to men who are living with HIV but also to those in the community who are at risk for HIV,” says Frank Gurucharri, PALS Project Manager. “This is a natural evolution of our ongoing LIFE Program.”

New education and coaching opportunities will allow community members to develop behavioral health skills to enhance and protect their health and the health of their partners.

The PALS Project currently offers health education, wellness empowerment, riskreduction counseling, service linkage, and emotional and practical support to the nearly 9,500 gay and bisexual men living with HIV in Broward County. PALS also offers two well known workshops: the five-week CHOICES program and the 17-week LIFE Program. PALS helps men lead safer, richer lives.

“For the last five years, the impressive performance of PALS Project staff and volunteers has allowed the Center to impact the lives and health of local gay, bisexual and transgender- identified men,” says Kristofer Fegenbush, Deputy Director of the Pride Center. “The expanding role of our Center as a hub of gay culture and advocate for HIV education, prevention and wellness support uniquely positions us to be highly successful in our collaboration with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.”

The new LIFE Goes On program will fund six areas of service. First, a wellness series of community presentations begins next week with a “Happy Hiney Health” dinner seminar. Second, PALS will develop PALS Peer Partners, a certification course and ongoing professional development coaching for volunteer peer educators. Third, the program will provide several peer-led community presentations on HIV, stigma and identify, including narratives from individuals living with HIV. Fourth, LIFE Goes On will provide HIV self-management educational seminars for community based providers. Fifth, the program will offer oneday self management workshops for people newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. Finally, the grant has allowed the establishment of a functioning “Living Room” drop-in space on the Equality Park campus. This safe space will encourage positive social support with community resource information, HIV/STI testing and intervention referrals, and linkages to health resources.

“Now PALS expands its peer power even more,” says Ralph Caraglia, longtime peer educator and volunteer. “This allows PALS volunteers greater opportunities to ‘give back’ by preventing HIV and improving the health of our communities.”

Broward County, according to the latest (2006-08) epidemiological reports by the Florida Department of Health, has the highest rate of all HIV cases (59%) in the State. Annual participation in PALS programming has grown by more than 450% in the last three years, which includes helping the men already living with HIV in Broward County to enjoy healthier lives and to lower their risks of transmission. PALS’ LIFE and CHOICES programs are funded by the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS.