NAMES Project To Launch Website On World AIDS Day

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (EGCM) -- The NAMES Project Foundation will enlist vivid studios, a leading Internet development studio, to create and inplement a World Wide Web site in order to raise awareness about AIDS and to heighten the visibility and further extend the mission of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The NAMES Project is actively seeking sponsors to assist in the funding of this website which is scheduled to launch this December 1, World AIDS Day.

The NAMES Project Foundation displays the AIDS Memorial Quilt to help bring an end to the epidemic. The Quilt Illustrates the enormity of the AIDS epidemic by showing the humanity behind the statistics. In order to expand the mission of The NAMES Project to the online world, the website will be designed to facilitate and create an online community through online discussions.

vivid designers envision the Quilt website as an information repository and community gathering place encompassing educational tools and information exchange between users. The website will include information about the events, serve as an internal resource and information exchange, act as an educational tool in the fight against AIDS, and contribute to the formation of a digital community helping to fight the AIDS epidemic.

The website will list information about specific dates and cities where the AIDS Memorial Quilt will be displayed, facts about the Quilt, highlights of panels, history of The NAMES Project, features on NAMES staff, links to other online AIDS service and support organizations, and provide an area where people who are in the AIDS community and those wishing to learn more can come together and learn from each other.

"The Quilt's power to raise awareness about AIDS, to challenge complacency about the epidemic, and to soften hard hearts and open closed minds, will be greatly increased by its presence on the web," said Anthony Turney, executive director of The NAMES Project Foundation. "Technology is giving us the way to reach a larger and wider audience with a message about AIDS. We are fortunate to have the talented people at vivid as partners in this important project."

While the outline of the website has been established, The NAMES Project is actively seeking corporate or community sponsors for the continued development of the site. Contributions will be accepted by The NAMES Project and will receive levels of acknowledgement on the website. The sponsorship levels will include: the Web Founder Circle ($100,000+), the Legacy Circle ($50,000+), the Benefactor Circle ($25,000+) and the Preservation Circle ($10,000+).

"There are a significant number of people lost to AIDS not represented in the AIDS Memorial Quilt," said Henri Poole, President of vivid studios. "From a community standpoint, vivid is eager to assist The NAMES Project in increasing awareness of the AIDS Memorial Quilt by initiating online activities such as one-on-one discussions, forums, and guest speakers, in turn offering more depth to already existing avenues of communication."

Founded in 1987, The NAMES Projet Foundation sponsors and displays the AIDS Memorial Quilt to help bring an end to the AIDS epidemic. Through a network of 40 national NAMES Project chapters and 30 internaitonal affiliates, the AIDS Memorial Quilt is seen by more than one million people annually at some 1,600 displays. The next display of the entire Quilt is October 11-13,1996 in Washington, D.C. Money raised at Quilt displays is granted to organizations that provide direct services to people everywhere who are living with HIV and AIDS.

For more information contact: Greg Lugliani or Scott Williams; The NAMES Project: 310 Townsend St. 310; San Francisco, CA 94107; 415-882-5500 voice; 415-882-6200 fax. Visitor Center and Panelmaking workshop; 415-863-1966 voice; 415-241-7936 fax.

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