About us

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO!

The United Methodist Global AIDS Committee (UMGAC) (formerly known as the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund) was established by the 2004 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. Our purpose is to address a critical global health concern impacting far too many of God’s men, women and children.  We work to strengthen the church’s compassionate response to HIV and AIDS and help stem the tide of the pandemic through education and advocacy.

Education: Each quadrennium, UMGAC sponsors several educational offerings for United Methodists and others to learn about HIV and AIDS and how to make a difference.  Information about upcoming events can be found on our Events page.

Advocacy: Working for equity for all persons living with HIV or AIDS is a critical commitment of  the United Methodist Global AIDS Committee.  Around the globe, UMGAC works with AIDS Ambassadors who have committed to serve as “justice seekers” by:

• contacting elected officials about AIDS-related legislation and/or governmental policies that impact those living with AIDS;
• identifying AIDS service delivery gaps in their community and ways to close gaps
• ensuring AIDS prevention information is provided to young people either in their schools and/or churches

Click here to find out more about serving as an AIDS ambassador! 

UMGAC ADVANCE PROJECTS AND OUR FUNDING PARTNERS

UMGAC supports projects through our Advance Special Fund that focus on prevention, advocacy, testing, and counseling. Through the generosity of United Methodists and others, UMGAC has supported more than 200 programs in over 35 countries.

Beginning in 2014, UMGAC narrowed its international grant-making focus primarily to the prevention of AIDS to newborns and eradicating stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV or AIDS

In 2016, Global Ministries assumed the responsibility of appropriating funding from the  UMGAC Advance to international projects that address child and maternal health as a part of Global Ministries Abundant Health initiative.  One hundred percent of all donations given given through the Advance # 982345, go to carefully reviewed projects selected through an “invitation only” process.

Twenty-five percent of all UMGAC donations given through a local United Methodist church remain in that annual conference for AIDS ministries.

GOVERNANCE

UMGAC is housed at the General Board of Church & Society and is guided by an inter-agency committee comprised by representatives from the Council of Bishops, General Board of Church & Society, General Board of Global Ministries, General Commission on Communications, the Division on Ministries with Young People and United Methodist Women.

Chair: Bishop Julius Trimble, Episcopal leader, Indiana Conference

Vice Chair: Rev. Dr. Youngsook Kang, Director of Mission & Ministry, Rocky Mountain Annual Conference

Secretary: Dr. Douglas Smith, California-Nevada Annual Conference, Member at-Large

OFFICIAL UNITED METHODIST STATEMENTS ON HIV/AIDS (2016)

Social Principle on HIV/AIDS:  ¶162.U – Persons Living with HIV and AIDS

Persons diagnosed as positive for Human Immune Virus (HIV) and with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) often face rejection from their families and friends and various communities in which they work and interact. In addition, they are often faced with a lack of adequate health care, especially toward the end of life. All individuals living with HIV and AIDS should be treated with dignity and respect.

We affirm the responsibility of the Church to minister to and with these individuals and their families regardless of how the disease was contracted. We support their rights to employment, appropriate medical care, full participation in public education, and full participation in the Church.

We urge the Church to be actively involved in the prevention of the spread of AIDS by providing educational opportunities to the congregation and the community. The Church should be available to provide counseling to the affected individuals and their families.

Resolution 3244 – United Methodist Global AIDS Fund

Resolution 3241 – A Covenant to Care: Recognizing and Responding to the Many Faces of HIV/AIDS in USA

Resolution 3243 – The Church and the Global HIV/AIDS Pandemic

Contact us

Email: UMGAFund@gmail.com or 703-282-6254.