DANCE MARATHON 2010 |
Who we Support
Boston University’s Dance Marathon is the school’s largest fundraiser to date raising thousands of dollars each year for Pediatric AIDS. We donate to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)and One Heartland. These organizations focus on the HIV/AIDS epidemic both at home in the U.S. and around the world through spreading research, awareness and messages of acceptance.
The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is the worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS. The Foundation’s international presence reaches more than a million women per year through services aimed at the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV at more than 750 sites in 20 countries. As a result of aggressive advocacy and research initiatives, the Foundation is accredited with decreasing the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV in the United States to less than 2%.
One Heartland offers children affected by or infected with HIV/AIDS “The best week of their lives.” Each year, more than a hundred kids become part of the camp’s year-round community, a community that lasts a lifetime. Children from around the country, from all backgrounds, are able to go to camp for a week, free of cost, and escape the stigma accompanying the disease and the hardships of life at home. At Camp Heartland, these kids are surrounded by love and support, and a reason to survive.
History
Now in our 8th year as a campus wide event at Boston University, Dance Marathon (BUDM) has established itself as the school’s largest annual fundraiser. We strive to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and education on campus, promote a greater sense of community here at BU and raise a record-setting amount of money for pediatric AIDS.
Dance Marathon started at Boston University in 2003 as a collaborative effort of four different organizations – the Inter Fraternity-Sorority Council/Pa-Hellenic Council, the Boston University Student Union, Students for Camp Heartland, and BUnited. 100 Dancers gathered with Moralers, volunteers, and visitors to raise $30,000.
Over the next seven years BUDM has grown to be THE BIGGEST event on campus, raising over $300,000. While we continue to raise immense amounts of money, we are truly successful in educating an ever growing population in the Boston area about pediatric AIDS.