In the United States and around the world, community-based AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) are primary sources of help for people with AIDS. ASOs exist not only in the metropolitan cities but also in more remote settings, providing thousands of hours of care and prevention.

The ASO is often the primary caregiver to persons living with AIDS. It may be the place that a person is first diagnosed with HIV, and it may provide every type of service a person with AIDS may need for the rest of his/her life, including funeral arrangements. From the first one-on-one caregiver situations to the current multi-million dollar budgeted agencies, ASOs have been helping persons living with AIDS maintain a sense of dignity in their lives by providing assistance in dealing with the HIV/AIDS pandemic on a personal, daily level.

For more information on AIDS Service Organizations in your area, please contact:

• Your local or state health department

• CDC National Prevention Information Network, 1-800-458- 5231, 1-800-243-7012 (deaf access/TDD)