A Record 3,500 Walkers Raise $1.4M at Florida AIDS Walk!

A Record 3,500 Walkers Raise $1.4M at Florida AIDS Walk!

In News by AHF

Multi Platinum Award-winning Band DNCE, featuring Joe Jonas, and OWN Network’s Greenleaf Star Lamman Rucker join AHF to raise funds to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE (March 20, 2017) Multi-Platinum, award-winning new band, DNCE, featuring Joe Jonas joined Lamman Rucker, star of the OWN Network’s  top-rated drama series, “Greenleaf”, in Fort Lauderdale for the Florida AIDS Walk & Music Festival presented by AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Wells Fargo.  Now in its 12th year, Sunday’s event attracted 3500 participants from across the region and raised over $1.4 million to support local HIV/AIDS services.

With 100% of every dollar raised at the walk remaining in the community, 9 local organizations will be availed critical, non-restricted funds needed to provide direct services to local residents who are affected by HIV/AIDS.   The benefitting organizations from yesterday’s event are Broward House, SAVE, The Pride Center, AHF, World AIDS Museum, SunServe, Latinos Salud, Pridelines, and Poverello.   

According to recent statistics by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nationally Florida ranks #1 in terms of the number of individuals living with HIV and the number of new individuals newly diagnosed with HIV.  Broward and Miami-Dade counties rank #1 and #2 in the state with new HIV cases.  .

“I am honored to join the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, all of the community partners and the thousands of participants who came out to walk for a cause that is greatly impacting us all, but locally and nationally,” said 2017 FAW Celebrity Ambassador Lamman Rucker. “No matter if we’re male or female, gay or straight, black, white, Hispanic or Asian, we all are effected by HIV/AIDS and we must continue to come together, as one community to address this epidemic”

Lamman joined the thousands of diverse participants for the 5k walk along the beautiful south Florida coastline, before returning to the festival area, where local band, Jody Hill and the Deep Fried Funk Band kept the audience energized.  The event then ended with hot new funk-pop band DNCE featuring lead vocalist Joe Jonas, rocking the beach with a live music performance, including their hit single “Cake by the Ocean”, which on its release hit the top 10 on Billboard’s Top 100 list.

The fun-filled walk with a purpose, included food trucks, interactive activities and free, rapid, 1-min HIV testing.  Top individual and team fundraisers were also given the opportunity to end the event with a private meet and greet with the members of DNCE.

To view photos of Florida AIDS Walk 2017, Click Here.

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