We’re mere hours away from World AIDS Day. Make sure to check out the many events planned by ONE members around the country as well as other leaders in the fight and then sign up to attend or host your own.

Of note, DATA (the org we’re merging with) released a bunch of cool stuff of late, including: analysis of the new AIDS numbers, and an amazing new report called “Africa Works,” which documents effective development assistance success stories.

Finally, President Bush requested an additional $30 billion for the global fight against AIDS over the next five years from Congress today. AP article here and AP photo of a giant red AIDS ribbon on the White House below.

-Virginia Simmons

When you’re talking about poverty and global disease, there’s nothing like stats to help people understand the scale of the tragedy. And here we have the latest stats on the AIDS epidemic from UNAIDS.

While the astronomical numbers of people living with HIV/AIDS can be overwhelming, there is important good news here. The number of people contracting AIDS and dying from AIDS annually are both on the decline.

Also, the methods for tacking and counting the AIDS crisis are getting better. As a result, (and as already mentioned here on Tuesday) UNAIDS revised their estimate of people living with AIDS from 39.5 million in 2006 to 33.2 million in 2007. This decline doesn’t mean that AIDS is any less prevalent, but knowledge is the first step in the fight.

Today we have an extra fact sheet for you to help you read through all the new stats.

Some key stats from the sheet to remember:

• People living with HIV/AIDS globally: 33.2m
• New infections in 2007: 2.5m (6,800 per day)
• Deaths from HIV/AIDS in 2007: 2.1m (5,700 per day)

Download the full breakdown of the UNAIDS report (pdf).

-Weldon Kennedy

The weekend of November 23 – 25 was the first ever ONE Sabbath weekend, in the pilot of year of what we hope will become a major expression of the impact of people and communities of faith in the fight against extreme poverty and global disease.

ONE members across the country downloaded materials from our faith resource page ONE.org/faith and organized services and group activities in their houses of worship. A recap of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Louisville, Kentucky is below.

Our ONE Sunday included a litany of prayers based on the MDGs, and a sermon wrapped around the ONE Campaign – available to listen at http://www.sermons.stmatt-ky.org/071125Trimble.m4a – at all 3 services. Declaration cards and bands were available to all, and we signed up 46 folks.

We also used ONE as a jump off point to promote a “simpler Christmas”, with resources from Heifer International, and Episcopal Relief and Development, as well as stations to make cards for soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital, making ornaments for families in the inner city, and making Christmas lists of what we’re going to give this year, instead of get.

I’ve included a few pictures. Wish they were better quality, but it’s a cell phone.

Thanks again, and Peace,

Rev. Jim Trimble

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

Louisville, KY

While visiting Zambia recently, I was reminded that extreme poverty is not just numbers and statistics. It lives in real people and has a life of its own. I was part of a group that was visiting a project that helps care for orphans and ensure that they receive education. In seeing this project, I was faced with the reality that I live in a world where I was fortunate enough to obtain a graduate education and as a result, provide for my family (my only daughter has just started college). I kept thinking that mothers around the world deserve similar opportunities.

During my trip, I met a lovely young boy named Armand. Armand, his little sister, his big brother and his three cousins live in a cramped, one room home that has neither running water nor electricity. He was smiling with his sister by the time I met him, a smile brighter than I had ever seen. Unfortunately, due to school fees, Armand doesn’t know whether or not he will be able to go to school as expected next term. This bright bubbly boy is just one of the many people, women and children that daily face life and death struggles, and lack of opportunity.

In a land faced with 78% unemployment, where 87% of the population lives on less than $2 per day, and life expectancy hovers around 38-years old, change is essential. The scriptures state that to whom much is given, much is required. As a person living in a nation that has been so richly blessed, I don’t see how we can sit idly by while neighbors literally fight for their lives? We must use our platform and speak out! Anything else is unacceptable. The ONE Campaign, and each member’s decision to take action, will ensure that Armand and others like him will have the opportunity to become all they were created to be.

The need is urgent and the stakes are high. The stakes are, literally, life itself. What will you do with all you have received? Take Action!

-Tatia Gibbons, mother and ONE Member, Oak Park, Illinois

The weekend of November 23 – 25 was the first ever ONE Sabbath weekend, in the pilot of year of what we hope will become a major expression of the impact of people and communities of faith in the fight against extreme poverty and global disease.

ONE members across the country downloaded materials from our faith resource page ONE.org/faith and organized services and group activities in their houses of worship. A few of their stories are below.

-Aaron Banks

I led my church’s middle/high school group in the ONE Sabbath activities. We started actually 2 weeks ago talking about the issues, what ONE is, made a “bulletin board” and then yesterday they addressed the congregation explaining what they have learned and what can be done. It was a very powerful couple of weeks…I loved being able to introduce ONE to the kids and the congregation.

-Jennifer Carlson, Christian Ed Coordinator, Dedham Congregational Church- UCC, Dedham, ME

I’m just giving a shout out that my parish, Christ Church United Methodist in Fair Haven, NJ, had a powerful ONE Sabbath worship event! We are a very small church of about 30 in attendance, but our ONE Sabbath event was an uplifting, challenging and compelling worship service. Many were humbled…I live in a very affluent area, yet the importance of this message was heard as a small ripple…I hope to continue my support for this important mission!

-Peace, Rev. Eusun Kim

Since you asked, I thought I would write and describe what our church did for the ONE Sabbath. We have a newly formed “Social Justice Ministry” committee at our church, and we decided we wanted to do something for the ONE Sabbath…

We had a large poster-board with general information about the ONE Campaign, about ONE Sabbath, and some of the supporting/ partner organizations. We had a double sided handout for people who wanted information about (more…)

Libby is back at it, delivering On the Record petitions to the Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani campaigns in Iowa. Great work, Libby! Check back here often to find out the latest on the campaign and how you can get the presidential candidates to go on the record and commit to fighting extreme poverty and global disease.

-Aaron Banks

That was the phone call I got yesterday afternoon from a ONE member and supporter. In New Hampshire, sometimes candidate events are scheduled last minute, or not made public, so Granite State ONE members always keep their eyes and ears open to find ways to lend our voice for the poorest of the poor in this world.

Right after I got the call, I hopped in my car and headed to Exeter where a very small crowd had gathered in a downtown local restaurant. Sure enough, Sen. Hillary Clinton made her way into the restaurant to have a quick bite to eat while on the campaign trail.

Sen. Clinton sat next to NH ONE Ambassador and State Sen. Maggie Hassan, who was already wearing her ONE band. They were joined at the table by Sen. Clinton’s National Co-Chair and NH ONE Ambassador Bill Shaheen.

Hillary finished her soup, gave a quick interview, and then spoke with voters before she left. I told Hillary, “the Greatest Generation had the Marshall Plan that helped save the continued of Europe from poverty and disease, I think that our next great generation should really put the effort and resources into fighting malaria in Africa and saving lives.” Hillary quickly told me that she also thinks that our nation should focus on global warming issues and took a quick picture with me.

ONE by ONE, the ONE Campaign and ONE Vote ‘08 are making the difference on the ground and across the nation, to make sure that our leaders know that fighting malaria and saving lives in Africa is not only possible, but it is a priority.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer

Mayor Rudy Giuliani campaigned in Hampton, NH, Sunday afternoon and ONE’s Marine Michael Castaldo made it to the town hall to make sure that he heard and saw the ONE Campaign.

Although Michael did not get a chance to ask his question, he told me that many people at the event were already aware of the ONE Campaign and our efforts to save lives around the world. Some even signed up for ONE from the ONE literature he passed out. In fact, one of Rudy’s top campaign advisors told me at the Winter Stroll that he had just talked with ONE advisor Jack Oliver and said how Jack is a great advocate for such a great organization.

Michael told me that after the event, it was very hard to get close to Rudy, but he saw Michael and made sure to go over and speak with him and take a photo with Michael in his ONE shirt.

In this election season, Republicans and Democrats are divided by party lines, and sometimes even divided by candidate campaigns…but no matter who you are, no matter who you support, everyone can agree that the ONE Campaign crosses all lines to make sure that the next president of the United States is a leader in the fight against global disease and extreme poverty.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer

On Sunday, Gov. Mitt Romney made a campaign stop at a toy store in Concord, NH. Keene State college student and Concord resident Kevin Schmidt came out to lend his voice to the world’s poorest people.

As Gov. Romney made his way through the toy store, Kevin spoke with him about the ONE Campaign. He thanked Gov. Romney for his ideas about saving lives in Africa. Gov. Romney thanked him, and Kevin told him about his Uncle Ken Hackett who is the President and CEO of Catholic Relief services and serves on the board of the Millennium Challenge Corporate with ONE Vote ‘08 chair Sen. Frist. Kevin told him about all of the good work that the MCC was doing and urged him, if elected, to support the MCC.

Gov. Romney seemed very familiar with the work of the MCC and posed for a picture. You can even see the stuffed animal monkey that Gov. Romney’s grandson Parker Mitt picked out.

ONE by ONE, we are making progress with all of the candidates. By staying informed at ONE.org, we can use our voice to articulate the change we want to see in the world, save lives, and lift millions out of stupid extreme poverty.

-Matthew Bartlett, ONE Regional Organizer

World AIDS Day is this coming Saturday. More than 30 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. As ONE members, we should use this moment to raise awareness and take action.

Check out World AIDS Day events planned across the country by ONE members, college students and other leaders in the fight, and then sign up to attend one in your area or host one of your own.

-Virginia Simmons