By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

AIDS Foundation of Chicago officials estimated that more than 7,000 participants came out for their seventh annual AIDS Run and Walk in Grant Park Sept. 15.

Final attendance and fundraising numbers were still being counted at press time, but AFC said that it had so far received about $400,000 in donations.

Mark Ishuag, executive director of AFC, said the event saw a very large increase in attendance this year.

“Participation was up. Online giving was up. The crowd was fantastic,” Ishaug said, adding that Loyola University alone drew more than 800 runners and walkers.

AFC used the event to draw attention to an impending budget crisis that stands to leave more than 200 Chicagoans with HIV homeless. AFC volunteers asked participants to sign petitions asking the city to allot an extra $1.5 million to ensure that those people can remain in their homes.

AFC Policy Director Jim Pickett said more than 1,000 petitions were signed.

“That’s a major amount of people. A lot of people took action,” Pickett said.

He added that he was asked several times to explain the phrase “Housing=Healthcare,” which was visible all around the rally site.

“For a lot of people, that idea is not as obvious,” he said. “Incorporating this advocacy element opened a lot of eyes.”

Pickett was also proud that for the first year AFC’s CommunityDirect partners—AIDS organizations and agencies forming teams for the walk—would receive 100 percent of the funds their teams raise.

“How can you go wrong with getting 100 percent?” Pickett asked.

“In an era where people say that raising money for AIDS is hard and that participation in AIDS walks is dwindling, this (outcome) is very heartening,” Ishuag said. “When you remember that the event lost over $100,000 in 2000, we’re looking at an over $500,000 turnaround.”

Still, Ishuag said, AFC will be working to ratchet up attendance even further next year.

“Is 7,000 people enough? Not at all. We’re not going to stop until this is a 10,000-plus person event,” Ishuag said.