For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Justin Burke - 213.201.1525
EMAIL:jburke@apla.org
AIDS Project Los Angeles to Benefit from Efforts of Local Dentist
Los Angeles, CA, October 14, 2003 – Beverly Hills dentist Jonathan Engel is calling on patients and neighboring businesses to support the food banks at AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). For the tenth year in a row, Dr. Engel is asking attendees of his October 26 ‘Patient Appreciation Day’ to bring food and hygiene products for distribution at APLA’s four food banks.
The event, to be held at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills from 11 am to 3 pm, will include games and prizes. The grand prize this year is a weekend for two at the Ojai Valley Inn. Each attendee is expected to bring a minimum donation of $5.00 in non-perishable goods.
“We are grateful to have the support of Dr. Engel and his patients,” said Craig E. Thompson, APLA Executive Director. “It is important to have community partners who demonstrate their commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS to their employees, clients and friends. The value of this kind of grassroots effort cannot be overstated in these difficult economic times.”
APLA’s Necessities of Life Program, begun in 1986, last year distributed over 155,000 free bags of groceries to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS at four sites across Los Angeles County. The first and largest food pantry of its kind in the country, NOLP provides groceries, bilingual nutrition information, culturally appropriate recipes, and twice-yearly nutritional assessments to its clients.
“Last year, we had 200 people in the park, and this year we hope to beat that,” said Dr. Engel. “This is a great way to relax together in a beautiful setting while supporting people in our community at the same time.”
To participate in the event, please call (310) 659-5003.
AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the nation’s largest AIDS service organizations, provides direct services to more than 10,000 men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County. Services include prevention education, food banks and nutrition education, professional dental care, housing assistance, mental health counseling, and case management. APLA is a leader in the provision of bilingual HIV treatment information, in print and on the Internet, and advocates for effective AIDS-related policies and legislation on the local, state and federal level. For more information, please visit www.apla.org.
###
