The C.A.N. Project, located at 507 Frenchmen St, works with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community to implement HIV prevention activities. Some of the programs our of the CAN office include:
- Rapid HIV Counseling, Testing, and Referral
- Condoms and safer sex information availability
- Online outreach, providing HIV prevention for the online gay community
- Online Popular Opinion Leader (SouthPOL)
- Mpowerment Program (Re:Vision)
What is NO/AIDS Task Force Community Awareness Network (CAN)?
The CAN program was established in September 2000 to bring together local organizations, businesses, social clubs, and churches that serve the men's community to focus attention on the HIV prevention needs in our community. Additionally, CAN works with individual establishments to assist them in creating their own HIV prevention programs and activities specific for their own clients, members and congregates. This allows for creative planning and new ideas, which can range from bookmarks with prevention messages on them given out at a local bookstore, to having bartenders trained to convey prevention messages while they are serving drinks. It can also include a postcard campaign sponsored jointly by several local shops, that have focused prevention messages for different groups within the men's community; or an erotica reading and safe sex workshop at a local leather boutique.
The goal of CAN is to mobilize the community to become directly involved in designing, implementing and maintaining its own on-going HIV prevention campaign, while reinforcing a culture of awareness and prevention in the men's community.
Why was CAN Created?
Gay and bisexual men still represent the group with the highest reported risk of HIV infection in Louisiana. When CAN was established in 2000, in New Orleans more than 60% of gay and bisexual men, who were HIV positive, lived in the French Quarter/Marigny area (where the rate of infection was 12 people per 1000 compared to 3 people per 1000 statewide, Louisiana Office of Public Health HIV/AIDS Surveillance, February 15, 2000). May gay and bisexual men still live, work, and socialize in the French Quarter. Young gay and bisexual men are at especially high risk, because of misinformation and myths of a cure. A recent report by the CDC announced that the new infection rates for gay and bisexual men (referred to in the report as Men who have Sex with Men) accounted for more than 50% of all new HIV infections in 2006 (www.cdc.gov/hiv). In the New Orleans Metropolitan Area, men who have sex with men accounted for 64% of HIV cases diagnosed in 2007 (Louisiana HIV/AIDS Surveillance Quarterly Report, December 2008). Our community is still at risk, and it is still up to us to change that!
Who are Our Funders?
Community Awareness Network (CAN), a program of NO/AIDS Task Force, was created to bring a new approach to HIV prevention to the men's community in the French Quarter area. CAN originally received funding through a four (4) year grant, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to work with and mobilize the men's community in the French Quarter/Marigny area. CAN is currently funded through a five (5) year grant from the CDC, a three (3) year grant from the Louisiana Office of Public Health, and donations.
What is Community Mobilization?
Who knows how to impact the community better than the community itself? And who knows what kind of prevention strategies will actually work to change the HIV rates in the men's community of the French Quarter better than the men's community of the French Quarter? "Community mobilization" harnesses the knowledge, talents, ideas and energy that currently exist within a community and applies them towards the community's goals for change. In this case, community members will identify their HIV prevention needs, design and carryout their own HIV prevention activities and work towards their goals for decreasing HIV infection in their community. The CAN staff will provide the technical support and assistance needed to realize this work. But first, the community must be mobilized. CAN's first step is to rally enthusiasm and involvement for partnerships in HIV prevention and healthy living within the community. Every person and group has a unique contribution to HIV prevention.