Handmade booties were donated for the PACPI Baby Shower Fundraiser

It all started on April 1, 2014. Edward posted a Google Images photo of a newborn baby girl on his Facebook page. “We’re adopting a baby!” he announced. “Welcome Ana Christine!”

While dozens of friends congratulated Edward and his partner David on their new daughter (named after both their mothers), others, aware it was April Fool’s Day, voiced their concern that the pair could barely care for a houseplant, let alone a child.

A few days later, David took the joke and ran with it. Without Edward’s knowledge, he began making arrangements for a “baby shower” – in actuality, a fundraiser for PAPCI. Guests were invited to purchase items requested by PAPCI case managers which would then go to real moms and their babies.

On the morning of May 18, PACPI Executive Director Anne Statton met Edward at the door of a local bar and welcomed him to what he thought was a regular PACPI fundraiser. When he entered the bar’s private party room, he was greeted by two dozen friends with shouts of “Surprise! It’s a baby shower for Ana Christine!”

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Courtesy of Ed Negron, Windy City Times

PACPI received an Excellence in Care Award as an agency that provides outstanding services, preventative education and outreach to people in the Chicago Area who are HIV positive, living with AIDS or at risk of infection.

The Grant Committee and Board of Directors of DIFFA/Chicago presented the award on February 25th at a Grants Reception in the Galter Pavilion of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

DIFFA/Chicago (The Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) is a not-for-profit fundraising and grant making foundation that distributes funds to Chicago area HIV/AIDS service agencies. DIFFA/Chicago’s Excellence in Care Awards granting program has awarded over $2.5 million dollars since 1987.

Learn more: www.diffachicago.org

Homemade birthday cards are sent to former PACPI clients as an encouragement to continue their journey of good health.

The Women’s Connections Committee of the Metropolitan Club of Chicago chose PACPI as their 2013 Philanthropy, hosting various events and activities in support of PACPI throughout the year.

The Committee helped raise more than $2,000 in donations and gift cards for our programs through events like the Chocolate & Champagne Tasting, the Birthday Card Project, the October Breakfast featuring Andrea Kramer, and a Self-Defense Class.

The Birthday Card Project is especially significant because volunteers came together to make handcrafted cards for PACPI moms and babies on their birthdays as an encouragement to continue their journey of good health. Our clients have expressed their appreciation for being remembered by us in this special way.

Thanks to this partnership, PACPI also hosted our Celebration Recognition at the Metropolitan Club in September.

Gorgeous view from the Run & Walk route.

Team PACPI raised a total of $11,762 from our generous team members and donors at the AIDS Run & Walk Chicago on September 28, 2013. Thank you to every donor, runner and walker who gave to Team PACPI! Please plan to join us in 2014 as we form our team and fundraise. The 2013 event was on a perfect September day along Lake Michigan as we walked with almost 5,000 participants. See photos from the day on our Facebook page.

AIDS Run & Walk Chicago stands up to the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS allowing progress to continue toward ending the epidemic. Run & Walk invigorates the sector by increasing awareness for the cause, growing our passionate community and allowing new leaders to emerge.

Read the press release about all the organizations involved in the event and how AIDS Run & Walk is impacting Chicago and surrounding communities.