South Floridians, including some amazing and caring volunteers, turned out to support the ongoing fight to end the AIDS Epidemic. Over 2,000 people participated in Florida AIDS Walk & Musical Festival in Fort Lauderdale beach. The annual event raises money for organizations advocating for more resources for those impacted by the virus, assisting people living with HIV/AIDS and educating the public about prevention. The crowds brought high energy and great vibes to the festival as they rallied for a good cause.
Team UP volunteers smile for a photo in Fort Lauderdale – Jack Saggio, Melissa Moye, Chelsea Chen-Young, Maria Valentin, Lorena Canaveras, Janice Melo, Glenda Mora, Eva Taylor.
Volunteers gathered early on Saturday March 9th to make sure the event ran smoothly. Those volunteers included Comcast employees like Glenda Mora, a customer digital agent, who signed up for the Team UP opportunity. Team UP is an always-on, 365-days-a-year effort to provide employees opportunities to get more involved in their community. Mora said she wanted to be at the walk because representation matters.
“A lot of my family and friends are part of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Mora. “I know that for them, me showing up for an event like this is a meaningful way to show my appreciation for who they are.”
Mora and the other Team UP volunteers made sure the walk participants stayed hyped and hydrated as they completed their 5K. The 5K walk was followed by a music festival headlined by personality Todrick Hall.
“I have taken part in several Team UP events. I continue to do them because of the great diversity that they represent,” said Mora. “Sometimes I even bring my kids. It opens their eyes to what the world is really like and helps them understand that we can all coexist and embrace each other despite any differences.”
This year, the Florida AIDS Walks & Festival raised over $2 million dollars for 13 LGBTQ+ South Florida non-profits. The CDC reports an estimated 1.1 million people live with HIV/AIDS in the United States and every year, about 38,000 new HIV infections occur. Florida health identified more than 4,600 new cases in 2022.
In addition to the year-round volunteer work from Comcast employees through Team UP, the company has contributed over $24 million in cash and in-kind donations to Broward County’s non-profits, community events, sponsorships and other initiatives since 2010.
