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USF Libraries Exhibits

Tampa AIDS Network

Since the 1980s when the HIV/AIDS virus was discovered, victims have rallied together to give support to one another.  As the disease became better understood by the public and as more people inevitably became infected, more official groups started to give support to victims. One of these groups seen in the Bay Area is the Tampa AIDS Network (TAN). They were founded in 1985 to provide education, support services and advocacy for all people infected with the HIV/AIDS virus. They were able to provide these services from money raised from different fundraisers which happen throughout the year and from generous donations.  Some of the fundraising events included Art for Life Auctions, AIDS Walks, Cabaret Performances, and New Year’s Eve parties.  Not only did TAN supply these services to people infected with HIV/AIDS, but they also tried to make the public aware of the HIV/AIDS disease by creating public service announcements and annual reports. These annual reports provided people with statistics of individuals infected with the disease, how TAN helped the community, what events were successful in the previous year and what events were going to happen in the future.