6.28.2011

Possible Weaknesses Found in HIV Virus

Here's a little bit of interesting HIV research information:  


Importantly, they found that these people's immune systems, unlike our own, focus specifically on attacking a certain part of the HIV virus called "Gag sector 3." 

"Gag sector 3" helps to form a protective shell around the virus, protecting it from being destroyed by our immune system or vaccines.

What does this mean? The researchers want to design a vaccine that makes specific, "surgical strikes against Gag sector 3 and other similar regions of the HIV virus." 

(To do this study, the researchers used the same math theories that are often used in analyzing the stock market. Cool!)

6.27.2011

Today is National HIV Testing Day

Today, June 27th 2011, is National HIV Testing Day. 

This day was established by the National Association of People With Aids (NAPWA) and has been observed since 1995. 

What is the most important thing that you can do today? Get tested.  

Fill in your zip-code below to find an HIV service provider near you, courtesy of AIDS.gov. (Please wait 10 seconds for widget to load!)








P.S. For those of you in Harford County, here's some info on some free HIV testing going on near you! Click here.

P.P.S. Tomorrow, June 28th 2011, the CITY UPRISING event takes place. City Uprising is a unique opportunity for people to unite throughout Baltimore to love and serve the city TOGETHER. From 10:00AM-8:00PM, Gallery Church, HopeSprings, and the JACQUES Initiative will lead the effort to test over 1,000+ people for HIV at 9 different locations throughout Baltimore City.

If you'd like to volunteer tomorrow at one of the following nine locations, please contact Ashley at afrancis@hopesprings.org.

  • BioScrip Pharmacy (21201)
  • St. Matthews (21218)
  • St. Ambrose (21215)
  • Esperanza (21231)
  • Central Church of Christ (21229)
  • Gospel Assembly (21225)
  • Brooklyn – Assembly of God (21222)
  • 7th Metro (21218) Please Post: City-wide
  • Ames Memorial (21217) 
To learn more about this event, please click here.

6.21.2011

Aromatase Inhibitors: Effective, Yet Possibly Hard to Obtain

A recent study suggests that taking drugs called aromatase inhibitors could be an effective, safer way of preventing breast cancer onset in high-risk women. 

In fact, the study said that taking aromatase inhibitors reduced risk by 65%. 

The study was conducted on over 4,500 high-risk women across the United States, Canada, France, and Spain by Canadian scientists. The results of the study were definitive early-on; 32 women taking placebos got cancer while only 11 on aromatase inhibitors, after just halfway through the study.


Aromasin, one of a few brands of aromatase inhibitor drug.

Aromatase inhibitors do not carry many of the side effects associated with other breast-cancer-preventing drugs, such as uterine cancer and blood clots. (However, some long-term effects are not known, and some doctors question medicating high-risk but otherwise perfectly healthy women.)

Sadly, high insurance copayments may be preventing women from obtaining this possibly life-saving drug. Studies show that women who pay high copays for AI treatment are more likely to stop the treatment prematurely.

6.20.2011

Baltimore Business Networking

Next Thursday, June 30th, come mix and mingle with Baltimore's top professionals - including the Good Fellas of Baltimore

A portion of the proceeds will benefit Moveable Feast, so if you're looking to enhance your professional network and meet some new connections, join us next Thursday!  

The event takes place at the Havana Club (600 Water St.) from 6 to 9 PM.  

Add yourself to the Facebook Event Page.

Who ARE the Good Fellas? The Good Fellas of Baltimore are "seven entrepreneurs joining WITH the community to help a different charity and family in need every episode." Their efforts are featured in a WBFF Fox Baltimore television series of the same name, airing on Saturdays at 1:00PM.

Best of all, they will be featuring Moveable Feast in an upcoming episode. This year, they also participated in Ride for the Feast! 

Check out Episode 2: "Balance," below. To see more of the Good Fellas episodes, click here. 

6.14.2011

Moveable Feast Garden Thrives

In the past few years, the Moveable Feast Garden Program has grown to include three different plots, countless varieties of fruits and vegetables, and the involvement of communities and volunteers.


Our plots at the Duncan Street Miracle Garden are notably popular among volunteers! 

This summer, each Friday morning, you can join the Moveable Feast dietitians, staff, and volunteers as they tend to our plot in the Duncan Street Miracle Garden. 


This past Friday, June 10th, a bunch of us headed out to Duncan Street. The goals of the morning? Weed the plot, plant some more starter plants, and nourish the plants with water. 

Currently, the Duncan Street Miracle Garden grows tomatoes, hot peppers, basil, carrots, beets, lettuce, squash, zucchini, onions and cabbage. All of the produce harvested will be used in our nutritious meals and groceries for our clients.



If you would like to join us for a fun-filled Friday morning of gardening, please contact Sara McClean! No experience is necessary - whether you have a tried & true green thumb, or you've never gardened before in your life - we welcome volunteers of all ability levels. Everyone can make a difference!

6.09.2011

Baltimore PRIDE Weekend: Show Some!

PRIDE (noun; \ˈprīd\): a reasonable and justifiable self-respect. 

During the weekend of June 17th through 19th, show some PRIDE and support Baltimore Pride Weekend! The Baltimore Pride Celebration is a program of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB), a community-based nonprofit organization founded in 1977 whose mission is to provide support, education, outreach and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) individuals and their allies, through programs, services and resources.

Moveable Feast staff, volunteers, and supporters will be participating in three Pride events. Click here to learn more about the individual events, and contact Elana Kanter if you'd like to participate! 





Click here to add this event to your Google calendar. 

Click here to follow GLCCB on Facebook.


To kick-off Pride Weekend, join us tomorrow, Thursday June 16th, for Casino Night at Grand Central Nightclub (1001/3 N. Charles Street).

The night really gets started at 9PM with the opening of casino tables and disco dancing, lasting through the night until 1AM. All proceeds from the Casino will benefit Moveable Feast!

See you at the tables! 

Add yourself to the Casino Night Facebook event page.



6.08.2011

Dining Out For Life 2011


Dining out at a restaurant has become commonplace in our daily lives. 

When we can't figure out what to concoct for dinner, or we don't have time to cook, we simply hop in our cars and drive to the nearest carry-out joint. Easy peasy.

And even when it's a planned excursion, indulging is typical. Spent a few extra bucks on a dessert mousse at that new cafe? Ordered the 16-oz. instead of the 12-oz. steak? Not a big deal - we might go home with a few less dollars in our wallets, but that delightful feeling of fullness? Priceless.




For some, however, that "full" feeling does not come so easily. Moveable Feast is, at its core, a hunger organization that feeds people living with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, blood cancer, and other life-threatening conditions. Proper, regular nutrition is crucial to their ability to fight disease. 

Our clients are so poor that their next meal is not as simple as "What do I want to cook for dinner tonight?" or "Where can I buy something quick to eat?" Rather, our clients face dilemmas such as: "Where will I find the money to even buy groceries?" or "How will I cook when I'm too weak to get out of bed?" or simply "I have no friends or family. Who will feed and take care of me while I am so terribly sick?"


_______________________________________________________



How can you help? Dining Out For Life (DOFL) is an annual fundraiser to benefit Moveable Feast. Now in its 18th year in the Baltimore Metro area, it is your opportunity to dine out and help those who, without the services of Moveable Feast, would not have the opportunity to feed themselves properly, much less dine out at a restaurant. 

How does Dining Out For Life work? Simply dine out at a participating restaurant on September 22nd, 2011. The restaurant will donate 20-50% of your bill to Moveable Feast, in support of our lifesaving nutritious meal delivery programs. And that's it! No extra money spent on your part - simply dine out to save lives.

How can I get even more involved? We are searching for enthusiastic Ambassadors to support DOFL. Ambassadors are stationed at their favorite restaurant (given participatory status and availability) to promote Moveable Feast and DOFL - passing out informational materials, speaking with patrons about our mission, etc. Ambassadors are also expected to help populate the restaurant by encouraging friends and family to dine out. Contact Amanda Fisher (afisher@mfeast.org ; 410-327-3420 x11) if you are interested!

Do you yourself own a restaurant in Baltimore or the surrounding areas? If you'd like to get your restaurant involved in Dining Out For Life, please click here for more information and to register. 

What participating restaurants are saying: 
  • "Great event for a great cause! It increases business so it's win-win for everyone!" - Clementine 
  • "The feeling of goodwill can't be beat. By going full force at 50%, the restaurant at Moveable Feast both win. Most people want to go to the places giving the most." - Woodberry Kitchen

So on September 22nd, join us in Dining Out For Life. Help us to provide that cozy feeling of fullness to our clients that we are so lucky to enjoy!

6.07.2011

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

Folks, don't forget about this great Broadway opportunity!

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert tracks the journey of three friends as they trek across the Australian Outback in a battered old tour bus named "Priscilla." Finding adventure, hardship, love, and friendship along the way - Priscilla is a fabulous story you don't want to miss!



For a limited time, you can purchase a package deal to see Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Broadway in New York City on Saturday, November 5th, 2011. The deal costs a grand total of just $225 and covers:
  • Roundtrip Motor Coach bus transportation (departs from Carver Center, 938 York Rd, Towson)
  • Continental breakfast
  • Mezzanine seats for the musical
  • A few other surprises! 

Check out a sneak peek from the musical below, and be sure to visit the Priscilla YouTube page to see more!  

BY THE WAY...Did we mention that Priscilla has been nominated for Best Musical in the Drama League, Outer Critics Circle, & Drama Desk Award Nominations? YES!



    To purchase tickets, please contact John O'Brien at 410-935-0143 or jeobrienjr@gmail.com.

    Add this event to your Google calendar.

    Add yourself to the Facebook event.

    6.06.2011

    Heart & Sole Stroll - This Sunday!

    For years, Moveable Feast has partnered with the Red Devils to feed Marylanders living with breast cancer.

    This Sunday, June 12th, 2011, come out and support the Red Devils in their annual walk-a-thon, the Heart and Sole Stroll, held at Goucher College in Towson. 



    "Every dollar you raise helps fund essential support services for breast cancer patients and their families. $35 will help pay for one ride for treatment...$85 will cover one house cleaning...$125 will help pay a patient’s prescription drug co- payment...$300 will buy meals and groceries for a family."

    Registration is just $35 and includes a commemorative T-Shirt. Click here to visit the registration page, and hope to see you at the Stroll on Sunday!

    The Red Devils was founded to honor the courage, grace and humor of two young women, Jessica Cowling and Ginny Schardt, who refused to be defined by breast cancer. Jessica died in July 2002 and Ginny in August 2002 at the ages of 31 and 44. Jessica and Ginny’s struggle made them aware of the important role support services provide to individuals undergoing treatment for the disease. Today, The Red Devils works in partnership with 37 hospitals and medical facilities throughout Maryland and with more than four dozen service providers. We are committed to lessening the burdens of the disease by improving the quality of life for patients and their families. Support is available to anyone with breast cancer living in or being treated in Maryland.

    6.05.2011

    Thirty Years of AIDS

    The AIDS epidemic turns thirty today, June 5th, 2011.

    Thirty years ago, in 1981, the CDC published a report documenting the cases of five young Los Angeles men. All five men suffered from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP pneumonia, today regarded as a sickness associated with HIV/AIDS), and two had died already.

    The report contained a crucial note: all five men appeared to suffer from a "cellular-immune dysfunction related to a common exposure" and a "disease acquired through sexual contact." 


    The CDC had seen a recent spike in medication prescriptions for PCP pneumonia, and began an investigation. Within a year and a half, the existence of the disease - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) - had been established. 

    The fear associated with AIDS was widespread. In those days, there were no treatments, support services, or even general knowledge about the disease. HIV-positive status and AIDS was essentially a death sentence. And HIV-positive patients were often ostracized from their peers.

    In 1989, just eight years into the epidemic, a few friends gathered in a Baltimore church basement to cook and package healthy meals-to-go. The purpose? Provide lifesaving nutrition to people dying from AIDS, who often suffered in rejection and isolation. Working on an initial grant of just $8,000, Moveable Feast was born, subsisting on a mere three employees and serving just ten clients two days per week.

    A Moveable Feast staff member working in the kitchen at Waverly Presbyterian, one of our previous locations.
    Today, for those who can afford it, HIV/AIDS has become an almost manageable condition, given advanced ART treatments and other drugs. Yet too many HIV-positive people still struggle with the prohibitively expensive treatments, and the disease affects their life in every way imaginable - physically, financially, socially, and emotionally. And there is still no definitive cure. Over the past decade, HIV/AIDS has come to be construed as a "foreign" or "African" disease - certainly not something that hits so close to home.

    Yet, consider the following: 

    Maryland ranks #21 for population size, but #4 among US states for new HIV infections per capita. In past years, we've even ranked at #1. In recent years, our very own "Old Line State" has consistently come in at the top five across the nation for new HIV infections.

    There are 29,021 Marylanders living with HIV today. Of those, 59% live in the Baltimore Towson Metro area alone. Among US cities, Baltimore ranks at #4 for HIV incidence. 



    Moveable Feast was founded upon a commitment to our neighbors living with HIV/AIDS. In 2010, we reaffirmed our dedication to the Baltimore HIV community by forming the Partnership for Life. The Partnership for Life, a coalition with Chase Brexton Health Services and AIDS Interfaith Residential Services (AIRS), is a joint venture aimed at:
    • Increasing HIV/AIDS awareness and community outreach in the Baltimore Towson Metro area 
    • Providing housing, food, and health care for people who live with HIV. 
    Each year, the Partnership for Life holds the B'More Aware of HIV: The Living Red Ribbon event, geared towards bringing greater awareness to the Baltimore area and engaging community support for local programs. From Baltimore City and beyond, people gather to form a huge living HIV red ribbon. Last year, nearly 600 people participated in the living red ribbon, breaking a new Baltimore record!

    The Living Red Ribbon, formed at Rash Field at the Inner Harbor in autumn 2010.
    Moveable Feast is working to help those in Maryland suffering from HIV/AIDS. 2011 marks the 30th birthday of the AIDS epidemic in America. To "celebrate," consider educating yourself about HIV/AIDS and other STDs, getting tested, visiting the special display at the National American History museum, or showing your support for Moveable Feast by donating or volunteering. Remember, 2011 also marks the 22nd anniversary of Moveable Feast services to clients.

    6.01.2011

    CLAIM Walk-A-Thon: June 18th!

    C.L.A.I.M. - the Coalition of Lutherans Advancing in Mission - will be holding its first-ever Lutheran Heritage Day & Hunger Walk-A-Thon on Saturday, June 18th, 2011 from 10AM to 2PM at Lake Montebello Park.

    We're happy to announce that Moveable Feast will be a proud beneficiary of this event, along with ELCA World Hunger and the Maryland Food Bank. 

    With just a $20 donation, walk or run the 1.3-mile trail around the lake yourself, or sponsor another walker.




    The Board of Directors of CLAIM is also looking for organizations to set-up informational tables at the Walk-A-Thon site. Keep reading for details!
    • Organizations may reserve a table for a $50 donation to the event
    • Table set-up will take place at the small parking lot adjacent to the Montebello School; the layout will be similar to a tailgate - drive into the parking lot, pull nose-first into the parking space, and set-up the exhibit from the trunk of your vehicle. 
    • Organizations may bring a small table, some folding chairs, and their educational materials
    • Organizations are encouraged to gather a team of walkers and solicit sponsors to help raise money for the event.
    • To reserve a table, please send checks (payable to "DE-MD Synod") to DE-MD Synod, C.L.A.I.M. Lutheran Heritage Day Hunger Walk-a-Thon, 700 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

    For more information, please contact CLAIM Coordinator Jennifer Arnold (CLAIMBaltimore@gmail.com or 410-499-6949). 

    Add this event to your Google calendar.