WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Congressman Bob Brady (D-PA) announced a $1.5 million Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) grant to Philadelphia FIGHT’s Youth Health Empowerment Project to work with young people to reduce HIV infection rates.
“This grant will help Philadelphia FIGHT continue its valuable work to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among vulnerable communities in Philadelphia,” said Senator Casey.
“I fully support the work of Philadelphia Fight,” said Congressman Brady. “And, I applaud the organization for developing the I AM project that is designed to get out a message that will help save the lives of high risk teens and young men of color. This is important work.”
Senator Casey and Congressman Brady wrote letters of support to urge the CDC to approve this grant.
Funding will be used to implement the “I AM” project, an idea created by Philadelphia FIGHT’s Youth Health Empowerment Project staff and participants to help their peers reduce risk. The project includes social media outreach, the creation of a culturally and age-appropriate safe space and the inclusion of the target population in the project’s content and development.
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