Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Last Monday, January 16, Puerto Vallarta's SETAC Community Center was honored by a visit from Mr. Tom Viola, the Director of Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, a nonprofit, grant-making organization that year after year has supported us through donations that help us continue our programs and services for the benefit of the entire community.

Obtaining this collaboration would not have been possible without the help of our dear friend Don Pickens of Casa Cúpula, who some years ago made us part of this great organization. It should be mentioned that Mr. Tom Viola and Mr. Don Pickens are life-long dear friends.

It has been thanks to this relationship that SETAC has benefited several times with the presentation of the videos of "Broadway Bares" and the sale of the musicals' posters at Casa Cúpula. On this occasion, Mr. Viola autographed posters of different editions of Broadway Bares, which will be among the prizes given away at our upcoming 8th Annual Patoton Fundraiser.

The SETAC Community Center is a non-profit organization committed to fighting HIV/AIDS in Puerto Vallarta. While we offer HIV testing and counseling, we also have a large and successful program to provide milk for HIV positive mothers to prevent transmission of the virus through breast feeding, and empower women to be volunteer leaders who can talk to, and educate, other women about HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, among other essential community services.

Mr. Viola was so impressed with the important work being done by SETAC, and with the future programs and projects we have planned, that he will consider ways to extend the benefits that help us carry them out. During this visit we were also accompanied by the new President of our Board of Directors, Marc Serrao, who expressed his gratitude to Mr. Viola and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

About Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Equity Fights AIDS was founded in October 1987 by the Council of Actors' Equity Association. Money raised through the efforts of Equity theatre companies across the country was specifically earmarked for The Actors Fund's AIDS Initiative.

Broadway Cares was founded in February 1988 by members of The Producers' Group. Money raised was earmarked to be awarded to AIDS service organizations nationwide, including Equity Fights AIDS.

In May 1992, Equity Fights AIDS and Broadway Cares merged to become Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The Board of Trustees of this newly established not-for-profit fundraising organization assumed the missions of the previously separate organizations and continues to fund the social service work of The Actors Fund and to award grants three times a year to AIDS service organizations nationwide and internationally.

Unlike most other nonprofit, grant-making organizations, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS must raise every single dollar of our philanthropic budget every year in order to fulfill our mission. In turn, BC/EFA works hard to ensure that the money we raise is spent carefully and wisely on programs where these hard-earned funds can have the maximum possible impact.

For more information, or to learn how you can help, visit BroadwayCares.org.

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The purpose of the SETAC Community Center, located at Rio Santiago #174 in the El Fluvial neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta, is to provide essential services to the community, including physical and mental health treatment, referrals, and education in an atmosphere of safety, free from discrimination. For more information, contact Paco Arjona at (322) 224-1974 or paco(at)setac.com.mx.

Click HERE to learn more about Centro Comunitario SETAC.