By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s seventh annual AIDS Walk and Run kicks off in Grant Park Sept. 15. Around 6,000 people are expected to participate in the 5K event, according to AFC spokesperson Allison Solomon, and about 2,000 are already signed up.

But Solomon said the 2007 walk/run has extra importance. It’s being preceded by a 9:40 a.m. rally that organizers hope will illuminate a funding crisis that may prove detrimental to more than 200 Chicagoans.

According to AFC, a onetime bonus in federal funding received by the city in 2004 has been completely spent; if a new source of funding is not identified, services to persons with HIV/AIDS would likely have to be cut in January 2008.

Much of the money is directed towards the city’s Housing Assistance Program, which assists persons with HIV/AIDS in housing payments.

AFC director of political action John Peller said that since the community faces budgetary constraints, “We’re bringing this rally to the people. We’ve got a ready-made audience of over 5,000 people who care about HIV/AIDS.”

“The rally is going to show participants how they can take direct action,” added Solomon.

Solomon said the rally site would feature an art installation dedicated to the 211 people who would be displaced come January, and that the 5K route would be lined with 20 signs recounting facts and statistics about HIV/AIDS.

“This year, those will give the walk more of a substantive effect,” she said.

AFC also made a concerted effort to get younger people to participate, according to Solomon.

“We’ve always had really great turnout from Loyola and DePaul students, for example. So we thought, ‘Why not try extending that to high school students as well?’” Solomon said.

She added that teenage rapper J Xavier would be among those performing the morning of the event.

“His music has a really positive message. He has made a huge commitment to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS,” Solomon said.

For more information on the AIDS Walk and Run, visit www.aidschicago.org.