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With more than 35,000 AIDS cases diagnosed and more than 18,000
lives taken, Illinois ranks sixth among states in the number of AIDS
cases since 1981. Last year 1,906 HIV cases and 814 AIDS cases were
reported in Illinois.
"With so many Illinoisans afflicted with this terrible disease,
we must continue to create opportunities that raise awareness and to
fund prevention and treatment options," said Blagojevich. "The
dollars raised from this ticket will provide grants for HIV/AIDS
prevention and education in communities across the state, especially
in the communities that have been hardest hit with the disease."
The Quality of Life ticket, named Red Ribbon Cash, will be
distributed at Illinois Lottery retail locations across the state
beginning Friday. Each ticket will cost $2 and have four top prizes
of $20,000. Net revenue from the sale of Quality of Life tickets
will be deposited into an interest-bearing account called the
Quality of Life Endowment Fund in the state Treasury.
"We are incredibly pleased to launch this new ticket where those
who play the lottery have the opportunity to play a part in
improving the lives of those with HIV/AIDS throughout the state,"
said Winnett, the acting superintendent.
The Illinois General Assembly will appropriate this money solely
to the Illinois Department of Public Health, which will award grants
to public and private entities in Illinois for the purpose of
funding prevention, education and treatment programs for HIV/AIDS.
All grants funded by Quality of Life ticket revenue will be reviewed
and approved by a special advisory board called the Quality of Life
Board.
"The latest statistics show African-American men are seven times,
and African-American women are 21 times, more likely to be infected
with HIV/AIDS than Caucasian men and women, respectively. And the
primary mode of infection among all racial-ethnic groups continues
to be men having sex with men," said Dr. Arnold, the state public
health director. "The Quality of Life ticket will help us continue
the fight against HIV/AIDS and reduce the number of people infected
across all populations in Illinois."
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"Funding for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs is vitally
important given the increasing prevalence and devastating nature of
this disease in our communities," said state Sen. Jacqueline
Collins, D-Chicago. "It is my hope that we are able to get a handle
on this deadly disease with the help of the Quality for Life
program."
"I was struck by the increasing numbers of African-American women
who are impacted by this horrible disease," said state Rep. Karen
Yarbrough, D-Chicago. "The importance of the resulting dollars
raised through this mechanism will provide needed resources for
prevention, intervention and treatment of HIV and AIDS, especially
in African-American communities."
Illinois state legislators and HIV/AIDS advocates alike supported
legislation to bring this ticket to life. Supporters included
advocates from U.S. Rep. Danny Davis' office, the AIDS Foundation of
Chicago, Project VIDA, the Coalition for Justice and Respect,
Sankofa Inc, ROCKS Coordinating Committee, Men and Women Prison
Ministries, Working for Togetherness, and the Greater Westside
Development Corp.
"Education remains our best prevention tool to eradicating HIV.
It is crucial that people get tested. Knowing your status and early
detection saves lives," said congressman Davis, D-Chicago.
"Although infection with HIV is serious, people with HIV and AIDS
are living longer, healthier lives today, thanks to new and
effective treatments," said state Rep. Greg Harris, D-Chicago,. "It
is my hope that the Red Ribbon Cash ticket will help to educate and
inform people in all communities about risk reduction and
prevention."
"The Quality of Life lottery ticket is an innovative resource for
communities affected by HIV/AIDS," said Ida W. Byther-Smith, founder
and executive director of Jo-Ray House Inc. and an HIV survivor. "If
half the people that play the lottery supported our education and
prevention efforts, we can begin to win the fight against the spread
of HIV/AIDS. This isn't a lottery ticket for us; this is a ticket
that gives us hope for a better future."
[Text from file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
