Sam Bond’s Garage will host a benefit for World AIDS Day today at 7 p.m. The event has been organized by the Break the Chains coalition in collaboration with the HIV Alliance, KWVA, the UO Multicultural Center and the African Student Association.
Donations will go toward buying school supplies for AIDS orphans in selected areas of sub-Saharan Africa and purchasing blankets for 47 HIV and AIDS affected children associated with the Client Services Program of the HIV Alliance.
The school supply donation came about through a collaboration between Break the Chains, a local political prisoner advocacy organization, and the Jericho Movement, a national political prisoner amnesty group.
“A lot of political prisoners are involved with AIDS education,” Break the Chains volunteer Brendan Avakian said. “Since many political prisoners are also AIDS sufferers, it has become an issue close to their hearts.”
The Break the Chains charity and the HIV Alliance charity originally were two separate events that became linked through a common connection, Avakian said.
“One of our members also volunteers with the HIV Alliance,” he said. “Through that we were able to bring the two events together for a twin fundraising event.”
The school supplies will include pencils and notebooks inscribed with the phrase “Compliments of Political Prisoners in the United States of America.” Currently, sites in Tanzania are the only ones confirmed to receive the donations, Avakian said, but others are being worked out.
The HIV Alliance works specifically with people affected by HIV and AIDS, providing services as well as education in HIV prevention.
“What we would like to get out is that HIV is a preventable disease,” HIV Alliance Youth Program Director Niki Martin said. “What we want to do is promote awareness, understanding and empathy about it. The disease has kind of fallen out of the public spotlight. We want people to know that it is still a threat and there are still people affected by it.”
The World AIDS Day Benefit is estimated to run five hours. Musical performers include The Shudders, Los Mex Pistols Del Norte, Happy Bastards and The Phormula. There will also be speakers from the HIV Alliance and Break the Chains. There is no cover charge, but a $5 donation is suggested. Sam Bond’s Garage is located at 407 Blair Blvd.

[email protected]