The seventh annual World AIDS Day Marker Project sponsored by Friends For Life, in collaboration with two local churches, was on display from November 25-December 8, 2007. The Marker Project began in 2001 when Friends For Life approached the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Memphis regarding the idea of potentially placing markers with red ribbons on the median in front of their church. The pastor had a better idea and invited Friends For Life to place the markers on the front lawn of their church. One year later, the project added a new member to the project: the Greater Lewis Street Missionary Baptist Church.

The 2007 World AIDS Day theme, "The Power of Partnerships," was taken to a new level when Friends For Life Corporation joined with First Baptist Church of Memphis, Greater Lewis Street Missionary Baptist Church, Volunteer Memphis, University of Memphis architectural fraternity Alpha Rho Chi and Gilead Science. The partnership is one that draws attention to the impact that AIDS is making in the community at one of the city's busiest intersections: Poplar Avenue and East Parkway.

The two congregation's front lawns were filled with 2,693 white stakes with red ribbons commemorating the number of deaths associated with AIDS in Shelby County. Friends For Life's Executive Director, Dr. Ricci Hellman, states, "While there will be 2,693 red ribbons visible, this is not including the countless number of persons who are affected by HIV and AIDS in our community today. This type of partnership is exciting to see with such a diverse group working together to raise awareness about AIDS."

According to the CDC, one American becomes infected with HIV/AIDS every 15 minutes, about 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV/AIDS and over 300,000 people in the U.S. infected with HIV don't know they are infected.

Learn the facts about HIV/AIDS in the U.S. and give an eye-opening education to others.

• Every 15 minutes, one American becomes infected with HIV
• HIV infection is one of the top 10 leading cause of death among women 15 to 54 years old.
• The #1 way women get HIV is by having heterosexual sex with high-risk men.
• Women account for 1 out of every 4 new HIV/AID diagnoses in the U.S.
• Over 300,000 people in the U.S. infected with HIV don’t know it.
• About 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV/AIDS.
• 42% to 59% of people living with HIV/AIDS are not getting regular HIV care
• The Southern states have the greatest number of people living with AIDS, AIDS deaths, and new AIDS diagnoses.
• Black women account for two-thirds of new AIDS Case s among women.
• African Americans, who account for about 13% of the U.S. population, make up half of all new HIV infections.
• In 2004, HIV/AIDS was the fourth leading cause of death among Hispanic men and women aged 35 to 44.
• In a study of young men who have sex with men, 77% of those who tested HIV-positive did not know they were infected.

Mode of Transmission	Now	Then (1982)
Man-Man Sexual Contact	49%	67%
Heterosexual Contact	32%	3%
Infection-Drug Use (IDU)	14.2%	17%
Man-Man & IDU	3.6%	7%
Other	1.2%	6%

Milestones in the US HIV Epidemic (PDF)
A Glance at the HIV/AIDS Epidemic (PDF)
2007 World AIDS Day Poster (PDF)