D.C. Area M.A.C Cosmetics Artists Volunteer With Food & Friends to Commemorate World Aids Day

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today makeup artists from M.A.C Cosmetics in Washington, D.C. will put away their makeup kits and don red ribbons to participate in a company-wide volunteer effort to honor World AIDS Day. This initiative -- part of a worldwide effort involving more than 1,400 M.A.C employees in 120 North American cities and 30 countries -- is organized to demonstrate the company's longstanding commitment to the global fight against HIV/AIDS and to strengthen the artists' relationship with the brand's philanthropic foundation, the M.A.C AIDS Fund, and its many grantees.

"One of the main reasons I love working at M.A.C is because of VIVA GLAM and all the good work the M.A.C AIDS Fund does in the fight against HIV/AIDS.  The experience of volunteering on World AIDS Day, particularly in a region of the country that needs so much HIV/AIDS awareness and assistance, is incredibly inspiring and empowering for me as an employee," said Gordon Espinet, vice president of makeup artistry, M.A.C Cosmetics.

With an HIV infection rate of three percent -- 12 times the national average -- Washington, D.C. has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country. To help address this epidemic, M.A.C artists in Washington, D.C. are volunteering their time and skills to Food & Friends Inc., a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a community caring for men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS and other life-challenging illnesses.  As part of their volunteer activities today, M.A.C artists will help prepare specialized meals for individuals with HIV/AIDS.

One hundred percent of the sales price of M.A.C's VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass goes directly to the M.A.C AIDS Fund, benefiting grantees in more than 67 countries. To date, the company has donated more than $190 million to fight HIV/AIDS.

"The fact that the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS are improved every time a makeup artist sells a VIVA GLAM product has always been a great source of pride at M.A.C," said Nancy Mahon, Senior Vice President, M.A.C Cosmetics and Global Executive Director of the M.A.C AIDS Fund.  "The M.A.C AIDS Fund is truly the heart and soul of our company -- there is commitment to the cause at every level.  Our deep tie to the Fund creates a great camaraderie and bond among our employees, which in turn contributes to the fact that M.A.C. has a higher retention rate than other brands. It is wonderful to see the employees unite time and again on such an important day and lend their time to support the global fight against HIV/AIDS."

All over the globe, M.A.C employees are giving back in a variety of ways. In India, artists will pair up with the women of Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE) and assist them with preparing and selling food items from carts in the streets of Chennai.  In Munich, Germany, artists will support the Munchner AIDS-Hilfe e.V. by selling teddy bears to pedestrians in order to collect money for HIV-infected people.  M.A.C volunteers in Chile will partner with the Santa Clara Foundation and spend the evening with kids playing, cooking a meal and helping to do house repairs. Other participating M.A.C affiliates are Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, TR-Bali, UK and Venezuela.

ABOUT THE M.A.C AIDS FUND

The M.A.C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M.A.C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working with underserved regions and populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical giver in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised over $190 million (U.S.) exclusively through the sale of M.A.C's VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass, donating 100 percent of the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit www.macaidsfund.org.

SOURCE M.A.C Cosmetics

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