Theatre Cares Vancouver
Raising funds for HIV/AIDS relief
since 1991

Theatre Cares Vancouver is a volunteer-based organization that unites the generous spirit of Vancouver’s performing arts community with its supporters to raise funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS relief and other worthy causes.

Theatre Cares Week, 2010: April 5-11
(details)

The funds raised by Theatre Cares Vancouver each year are donated to registered charities that support HIV/AIDS patients, and also to other local charities. Recognizing that HIV/AIDS is not the only challenge faced in our community, each year the committee chooses a “guest charity” to support which is not necessarily an AIDS charity.

In 2009, Theatre Cares Vancouver raised over $40,000 in support of AIDS Vancouver, BC Persons With AIDS, the Actors’ Fund of Canada, the Stephen Lewis Foundation and other local organizations in need.

Revenue comes from t-shirt and other merchandise sales, various fundraising activities through the year, and from the funds donated at theatres each night by generous audience members during Theatre Cares Week.

Because our committee works on a volunteer basis, we are able to donate 90% of the funds we raise to the charities we support.

There is no cure for HIV/AIDS.

In sub-Saharan Africa today, 22.5 million people are living with HIV/ AIDS, 61% of whom are women and girls, and more than 2 million of whom die each year. Eight hundred to 1000 people die from AIDS each day in South Africa alone.*

Approximately 58,000 Canadians are currently living with HIV/AIDS, and researchers estimate that an additional 17,000 are unaware they are infected.**

New infections are on the rise. It is estimated that over 4,000 Canadians are infected with HIV every year.**

These statistics reflect only what is known about the people who have chosen to be tested.

The Canadian AIDS Society has reported that a large number of youth believe there is not only a cure for HIV/AIDS, but also a vaccine available to prevent HIV infection. There isn’t.

* data from the Stephen Lewis Foundation
** AIDS Committee of Toronto