According to the U.S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.1 million people in the United States are infected with HIV/AIDS. With millions of Americans currently without health insurance and the high cost of medications, promoting health education and supporting the communities affected by this devastating disease are causes that many employees at Cobalt support.
On Saturday, September 26, Cobalt employees dedicated either their time and/or money to Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s Annual AIDS Walk in an effort to care for those affected by the disease and promote HIV/AIDS education.
Demand for Service
“This is a cause that is very important to me. I know a lot of people affected by the disease. When Cobalt accepted Lifelong as a charity, I wanted to help out. I’ve been a volunteer at Lifelong for eight years, and this is the first time that there is a waiting list for its services,” said Matthew Browning, manager – technical support and captain of the Cobalt Group AIDS Walk team.
Lifelong began in 2001 with the merging of the Chicken Soup Brigade and Northwest AIDS Foundation. In addition to providing education and prevention services, Lifelong assists HIV/AIDS patients with housing, medical care, insurance and nutrition counseling – providing groceries, fresh meals and, of course, soup.
Continued Support
This year, the Cobalt Group team consisted of eight walkers who raised $1,800 toward the cause and tackled the five-kilometer walk together. Some team members brought their spouses and children to the event.
“This was my first time doing the AIDS Walk and I will definitely do it again next year,” said Maureen Meier, accounts receivable specialist. “It was a lot of fun. It’s great that Cobalt gives us the opportunity to do things for the community outside of the office, instead of just handing over a check. We had a great time getting to know each other on a more personal level.”
For the past two years, Cobalt has participated in ongoing charitable events, cultivating strong relationships both within the company and its surrounding community. The AIDS Walk is one of many charities that Cobalt supports. Last month, more than 80 Cobalt employees in the Seattle area participated in an ongoing Habitat for Humanity project.
Alyse Speyer
Contributing Editor
The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.youtube.com/cobaltlive
Subscribe in a reader