Motorola Grants Cable Positive $200,000
Vendor’s Foundation Backs Youth AIDS Education
-- Multichannel News, 12/6/2007 1:41:00 PM
To help combat the spread of the disease among young people, the Motorola Foundation, the philanthropic arm of communication giant Motorola, has awarded Cable Positive an educational grant totaling $200,000, the largest single grant in Cable Positive’s 16-year history.
More than half of all new HIV infections worldwide occur in young people ages 15 to 24, according to Cable Positive, putting youth in all demographics at growing risk of contracting the virus.
Cable Positive, a cable-supported HIV AIDS awareness organization, said it will invest the Motorola Foundation’s educational grant in developing the first ever Youth AIDS Media Institute, whose primary mission is to empower youth to take an active interest and make a tangible impact in their communities regarding HIV and AIDS education, prevention, and awareness.
Research shows that young people who actively engage in volunteer work are more apt to do well in school, graduate and vote, according to Cable Positive. Young people already volunteer more than 2.4 billion hours annually for just causes around the United States, the organization added. Cable Positive’s Youth AIDS Media Institute would tap that energy and engage 15 to 24 year olds directly in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
Cable Positive CEO Steve Villano said in a release: “Motorola has squarely raised corporate social responsibility to a strong, new level within the cable industry and across the business community. The foundation’s grant helps enable Cable Positive and the cable industry to use all media platforms in educating our youth about HIV/AIDS, and teaching them how to use television, the internet and cell phones to communicate life-saving messages to their peers. This is a watershed moment in Cable Positive’s battle against the disease.”
Dan Moloney, president of Motorola's home and Networks Mobility business, added: “Motorola is honored to support Cable Positive in this effort. This collaboration will help empower our youth, enabling them to strengthen their role as HIV/AIDS educators, advocates and activists. By working with Cable Positive we are able to leverage new media to drive home the extremely important messages of AIDS awareness and prevention, now and forever.”
