It's awards season in Hollywood, but that also means it's time for the biggest party in Utah. Representatives of the Utah AIDS foundation go
On the Record to talk about their Oscar Night Party and the work they do with people that have HIV/AIDS.
Oscar Night, which falls this year on February 27th, is the "biggest fundraiser of the year. It's the longest running Oscar Party in the nation," says development director Nathan Meassom.
The Academy sponsors a foundation every year to host these Oscar parties, and "For the past 21 years, the Utah AIDS Foundation is the only foundation in Utah to be chosen,"says Meassom.
So why does the AIDES Foundation need to raise money?
"Many people who live with HIV/AIDS are also dealing with the economic problems," says Hispanic Outreach Specialist Alex Moya. "The average cost of an HIV medication out of pocket is about 800-1200 dollars per month."
But they say the hype about the dangers of HIV/AIDS is going down. "When they’re not thousands of people dying every day,” they start to think that ‘oh, it’s not so bad.’"
But the rate of people affected from AIDS continues to go up.
For more information on the Utah AIDS Foundation, or for tickets to the Oscar Night Gala, click here.
