photo: Greg Gayne

Chef Gordon Ramsay, British celebrity chef, television personality, restaurateur, and holder of 14 Michelin stars, will design the menu for the Foundation’s Academy Awards Viewing Party to be held on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at West Hollywood Park.

“David and I are so pleased to welcome our friend Chef Gordon Ramsay to EJAF’s Academy Awards Viewing Party,” said Founder Sir Elton John. “I’m sure our guests will be thrilled by his wonderful cuisine, and we are deeply grateful to him for his generous philanthropic efforts over the years, his commitment to ending the AIDS epidemic, and for supporting our urgent cause with his talent and creativity.”

For inquiries about EJAF’s 2013 Academy Awards Viewing Party, please contact Matt Blinstrubas at 212.219.0670 or matt.blinstrubas@ejaf.org.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation’s newest grantee spotlight highlights the work of the Treatment Action Group (TAG) and today’s important issues in HIV/AIDS advocacy.

Read the TAG grantee spotlight here

With the release of several documentary films on the early years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S., many people are discovering or re-discovering the extraordinary activism of groups like ACT-UP and TAG.  But the truth is, some of the most important and exciting HIV/AIDS advocacy is happening right now as we work to achieve an AIDS-free generation.

The Treatment Action Group is still leading the way in HIV/AIDS advocacy – bringing together activists, scientists, and policy-makers to develop sensible plans and strategies to significantly reduce the number of new HIV infections even in this day of limited budgets.  EJAF has proudly supported TAG’s work since 2008, and we stand with them in this important effort.

The documentary film How to Survive a Plague has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. This extraordinary film by journalist David France is an intimate portrait of the people of ACT UP, a group that came together in New York at the height of the AIDS crisis to fight for HIV research and treatment, and its spin-off organization the Treatment Action Group (TAG), a long-standing EJAF partner and a current grantee of the Foundation.

“How To Survive A Plague is a rare film that is both art and history,” says EJAF Founder Sir Elton John. “It transports us back to a time when HIV/AIDS was a mysterious killer, and then takes us on a journey that ultimately celebrates the activist heroes who saved millions of lives.” 

But great art can only fuel activism if it is seen. Please share this information with your family, friends, and colleagues and join EJAF in supporting this amazing film, which is now in select U.S. theaters, or you may download or stream the film here:

www.surviveaplague.com/watch

Last fall, EJAF grantee the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) regarding its practice of housing HIV-positive prisoners separately from all other prisoners, and categorically denying them equal access to prison rehabilitative programs. Just recently, U.S. District Court Judge Myron H. Thompson ruled that the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) must end this discriminatory practice. Thompson said in his decision, “It is evident that, while the ADOC’s categorical segregation policy has been an unnecessary tool for preventing the transmission of HIV, it has been an effective one for humiliating and isolating prisoners living with the disease.” You can read more about this important victory here.

December marks the beginning of the EJAF’s holiday giving campaign! Making donations to EJAF in honor of friends, family, and colleagues is a wonderful way to give the gift of philanthropy and help make a real difference in the lives of people in need.

Make your tax-deductible donation here

With EJAF’s support, the global development and distribution of antiretroviral medicines have advanced to a level that few had previously imagined possible. Thanks to the work of EJAF, and the generous friends who support our efforts, many societies now acknowledge and confront disparities in health and human rights to a far greater degree.

We’ve come a long way in 20 years, but there’s still so much more that needs to be done. On behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS across the U.S., the Americas, and the Caribbean who benefit from EJAF’s programs, I urge you to be especially generous when making your holiday gift to the Foundation this year.

Make your tax-deductible donation here

Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a bright and prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

David Furnish
Chairman

Just in time for the holiday season the popular Sir Elton John’s Holiday Candle collection produced by NEST Fragrances have returned:

nestfragrances.com/elton-john

This beautiful candle collection debuted during the fall of 2011 and features a blend of evergreen and balsam fir needles combined with rich woods and a sparkling citrus accord. The design for the candle packaging and glass is based on an etching of a coat of arms crest belonging to a noble family that lived in Luxembourg during the 1800s.

This year, NEST Fragrances is offering FREE SHIPPING for the following products:

• Sir Elton John’s Holiday Classic Candle
• Sir Elton John’s Holiday 6-Pack Votive Set

Simply enter the promo code ELTONJOHN at checkout to take advantage of FREE ground shipping!

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of Sir Elton John’s Holiday Candle collection will benefit the life-saving work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

“I love scented candles and enjoy incorporating them into the décor for all my homes,” said Elton. “This particular candle is very special. It not only looks gorgeous and smells sensational, but it also offers our donors and friends the opportunity to purchase festive holiday gifts for family, friends, and colleagues that will make real differences in the lives of people affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.”

On December 1st, World AIDS Day, the Huffington Post featured an editorial by David Furnish, Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Read the the editorial here.

In his editorial, David focuses on the new statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning HIV infection among young people, particularly young black gay men. David emphasizes the need for routine annual HIV testing for all people ages 15-65 to become a standard part of regular medical care, and shares information about the important work EJAF is funding to promote comprehensive sexual health education for young people, as well as the provision of HIV testing, treatment and health services for at-risk youth.

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have been selected by OUT Magazine for their 2012 OUT 100 List, which extols the accomplishments of openly gay individuals.

All of us at EJAF are extremely proud that Elton and David’s extraordinary leadership in the fight against AIDS has been recognized by OUT Magazine, one of the most popular gay and lesbian general interest magazines in the country. The citation in the article acknowledges the Foundation’s accomplishments under their leadership and pays tribute to Elton’s book Love Is the Cure.

As a New York-based charitable organization, EJAF stands in solidarity with all of our fellow New Yorkers whose lives and jobs have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. We are especially concerned for New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS whose homes, livelihoods, and access to treatment and care may have been disrupted, as well as for NY-based HIV/AIDS community-based organizations dealing with property damage and loss of services. We are with you in spirit during this time of recovery and remain committed to our mission to achieve an AIDS-free generation and ultimately a world without AIDS.