[Promotional Materials, International Conference on AIDS (13th : 2000 : Durban, South Africa)]

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation believes that by investing in our
youth we will motivate and cultivate a future generation of scientists. Our Student
Intern Awards are intended to encourage high school seniors, college
undergraduates, graduate students and medical school students to consider a career
in the field of pediatric AIDS research or care. Students apply for the $2,000 grant
with a mentor who has extensive experience in the field of pediatric AIDS.
* Helping others in need...
While research provides hope.for the future, many children and families have immediate
needs that require immediate solutions: It is with those needs in mind that we established
our Emergency Assistance Program.
The Emergency Assistance Program for hospitals serving large populations of
HIV-infected children, adolescents and pregnant women is now in its seventh year.
These grants, for up to $10,000 each, assist families living at or below the poverty
line with urgent basic needs - food, transportation, child care and medication not
reimbursable from other sources - so that families have access to state-of-the-art
treatment which would be ordinarily be out of reach.
* Education, awareness and compassion...
In addition to research, the Foundation believes that programs which build awareness,
impart information and combat stigma are also critical in raising a generation of children
free of HIV/AIDS. Therefore, we have created programs that educate parents, elementary
and middle school students and create awareness through a public service announcement
campaign. It is important that people everywhere - parents, teachers, children,
professionals, healthcare workers - understand the realities surrounding pediatric
HIV/AIDS and have the information they need to keep themselves and others safe and
healthy. We reach out to all of these individuals through our Parent Education Program
and Public Service Announcement campaign, as well as through our model prevention
program The Fernwood Project.
How should parents talk to their young children about HIV? Talking about HIV
isn't easy for anyone, especially for parents who want to explain HIV and AIDS to
their children. In response to this universal need, the Foundation established its
Parent Education Program, which was generously underwritten by the Sega
Foundation, to provide a guideline for discussing HIV within a school or small
community parent meeting. The bilingual kit also contains instructional
videotapes, including one that specifically addresses how parents of preschool and
elementary school children can effectively answer questions about HIV/AIDS with
age appropriate responses. To date, we have distributed 100,000 kits, available in
both English and Spanish, to schools and community groups across the country free
of charge.