MAC AIDS Fund issues grant to Florida's AIDS Institute

The MAC AIDS Fund, a philanthropic arm of MAC Cosmetics, has awarded a $25,000 grant to the AIDS Institute, which is based in Tampa, Fla. The award was presented to TAI officials on Thursday at the MAC Cosmetics store located at Saks Fifth Avenue in the West Shore Plaza in Tampa. "This grant will be used to enhance the agency's ongoing community education and public awareness efforts, including raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, educating communities on HIV/AIDS-related policy issues, providing both persons living with HIV/AIDS and concerned citizens with information on becoming actively involved in the war on AIDS through advocacy as well as expanding our reach via ActionLink, our e-news source, and the agency's Action Alert e-mail system," said TAI executive director Gene Copello. The funds raised by MAC Cosmetics came from sales of its Viva Glam lipstick, all proceeds from which benefit AIDS groups. To date, MAC Cosmetics has raised more than $36 million for the MAC AIDS Fund through sales of the lipstick and its Kids Helping Kids greeting cards.