AIDS

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...

 service organizations are community based organizations that provide community support. While their primary function is to provide needed services to individuals with HIV

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...

, they also provide support services for their families and friends as well as conduct prevention efforts. These services may include family or individual counseling as well as HIV testing and referral resources.

In the United States of America, many AIDS service organizations provide services through federal Ryan White

Ryan White

Ryan Wayne White was an American teenager from Kokomo, Indiana, who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS in the United States, after being expelled from middle school because of his infection. A hemophiliac, he became infected with HIV from a contaminated blood treatment and, when diagnosed...

 funding programs. Additional support usually comes from private individual and corporate donors, fundraisers (such as AIDS Walk

AIDS Walk

AIDS Walk is a walkathon fundraiser that raises money to combat the AIDS epidemic. The funds raised from AIDS Walks usually benefit a local AIDS service organization , which provide services and advocacy for local community residents who are infected with HIV...

) as well as foundations

Foundation (charity)

A foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations that will typically either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the source of funding for its own charitable purposes....

.