ACT Toronto: "If you get funding it will take away from money for those who need it.  All your sites have been done, give up the HIV/AIDS Network. The Search Engine, you might as well stop it."

 You must understand that I am a poor guy in need of help from these local organizations who get hundreds of thousands of dollars in charity money (ACT being most I hear about, I wish they could use the expensive television advertising for housing), but they will not help me like they will other HIV+ people, even when I lived down town Toronto. I have been homeless 3 times in the last 3 years. I go without groceries at times still these days even though I get disability now. I live a 5 minute walk from Toronto and I do not qualify as being a Toronto resident and ACT Toronto or PWA will not assist me what's so ever. I find it interesting that the AIDS walks and benefits they produce are said to raise funds for the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), not just Toronto. It's also funny that I can still be a member, maybe they get money for my membership that I will never see? It was these organizations that suggested I move to these suburb areas to afford rent, and I am sure they were aware that I needed their help as I was asking for group counseling (I was not allowed because most members were gay), information on dental help (none supposedly, yet my teeth continue to bleed risking society every time I talk to someone and risking me to more infections) and emergency financial support (no funding at this time to allow it, yet I was about to become homeless at the end of the moth, this was before I finally got disability). Another frustrating thing is, any other Canadian organization I call or write too for this information tells me to call ACT Toronto as they run the show. Guess it's a good thing I am not in their area after all, I will revoke my memberships. I have struggled with ACT (AIDS Committee of Toronto) many times, usually getting no where or a chance I will be insulted by the male secretaries. PWA has been more helpful, but majority of stuff they try to send you to ACT Toronto. All ACT's expensive services do is provide free space for groups (any church will do this for free) or tell you who else to contact (my HIV/AIDS Search Engine works better for me and I do not have to bus and subway it all the way down town!)

I appreciate the promotion. But, I thought you were here to help GTA. Your group tells me that you will no longer help me because I live a 5 minute walk from Toronto as you will not get funding for helping me. There are no support or organizations for AIDS and HIV here in Markham, Ontario, Canada. I now have no one POZ to associate with or talk to when I feel down! You being the largest and most dominant AIDS org in Toronto Area, you know best that you cannot point me to a local organization for Markham. Robyn has been helpful in other matters, he suggested the North York place, hell, it's long distance just to talk to some one or a 3 hour bus ride to get there and only 1 person there who runs it who is not even HIV+.

 Please remove my name as a member of AIDS Committee of Toronto as I am tired of past sexual discrimination issues against me and other numerous problems. Thankfully I have created my POZ network to be able to reach out without your help. I have put all these tools online for others to access too. I am here to help without worry of who is in my funding range as I get no money, in fact I sacrifice many needed items (and I do without any luxuries) so my sites remain online! I do not need you anymore ACT, thanks for having a decent service for the gay community though.

 I remember one day a in late March I believe (2002) being depressed and watching the television all day long, I saw your TV commercial 14 times that day alone (the gay cowboys on the horse, you ever think about heterosexuals needing prevention, 47% new infections are heteros!, I find it odd to spend so much money to teach grown men to use condoms when they already know about the choices they have), I see why you have no extra money to help me, so I do apologize for being upset after 3 years of difficulties with your staff/volunteers and organization, it just feels unfair that you helped me move (not with money or help, just advice) here to save money on rent, then tell me no help for me any more. Did you think I was ready to tough it out on my own? Or was I asking for too much help? No group will even help me fight you (even my lawyer's group gets funding and services from ACT, so who will ever listen or help me?), they say things like I am lying and say such things as, "ACT Toronto helps us, we can't see them doing that to you". Well sorry for the news then, guess they are just don't like me or may be angry that I am proving we do not need ASO (AIDS Service Organizations) as much as they make general society think we do with their funding drives that raise million$$$. ACT Toronto has done nothing but try to make me fail, I feel I have been plotted against (other Org founders/members have mentioned that they were told by ACT members  to avoid my HIV positive exploiting web sites).

  Anyhow, I went into the ACT (AIDS Committee of Toronto) office to introduce my concept as I was following up on emails with them which showed our sites. Responding to "All your sites have been done", I asked, "okay then, where can I submit an ad to find a pen-pal or even a possible relationship for other Canadian heterosexuals, or join a group for online support that everyone keeps in touch with chat or email lists? All these services are on my sites, free for anyone and any sexual preference." ACT worker replied "There are none.".   I am a member of ACT, (some of the features from my sites started showing up on their site after this).  Seems they no longer wanted my help when I asked for links to my heterosexual HIV site (the first Canadian hetero POZ online community, all other sexual preferences located @ POZ.Canada) (other sexual sites were not ready yet as this is a progression of a few years).  At least I was not out right discriminated against my sexual preference like I was at PWA (Toronto People With AIDS Foundation).  Please if you find our service useful, let us know.  Others are not realizing our potential or accepting us as a online support community/group for HIV/AIDS affected.  Ok, so we don't have a fancy office yet, we still exist! I do not need an office, my sites are located on the internet freely without worry "if you meet our rules". ACT (AIDS Committee of Toronto) got real mad only because I asked the steps involved with becoming an organization. I do not plan on becoming an organization as all the other groups make me feel I am not worthy or deserving some say. It does not matter as I do not think you need hundreds of thousands of dollars raised by fundraisers (fashion shows, aids walks, etc) to run an organization. It only takes me $100 dollars a month to help almost 10,000 people a month (cost of one cent per person). I was told that heterosexuals are drunks and trouble makers, reason why they don't cater to the hetero sexual male community any more.

We have experienced many groups with similar attitudes (but much nicer about it). Our posters get removed or never posted at local HIV/AIDS Organizations. I post posters about services online that are not offered anywhere else in Canada, (I want the world to enjoy it too as they are a part of the HIV/AIDS crisis) yet I have literally seen them crumpled up in the trash can only after leaving the poster with reception only an hour before (PWA).  First attempts to contact these groups regarding steps for funding, didn't result is answers, only false information saying there is no more funding available. Even asking about government programs lead no where.   It seems they do not want more organizations to help us.  What is wrong with online Pen-Pal ads, personals, anonymous chatting for your sexual preference, looking up links for resources, getting free web hosting, anonymous email, anonymous forums with no signup, HIV/AIDS guest books, HIV/AIDS clubs to join for support, email lists to keep people informed, etc...?  We are creating out own network as know one wants to help locally.  It is similar to to Yahoo and GeoCities free services, but for HIV people only and monitored for any trouble makers (they get banned).  Anyone affected by HIV/AIDS can participate as we will have Negative HIV- Chat soon. When complete, we will have everything I (Dave Brown -  founder) ever wanted to find in one easy to browse online hub as we want to be The HIV/AIDS Network linking everyone together for support and resources.

 No special memberships or fees are required to become a member, just contact us with your (nick) name, country, comment, and why you are  requesting membership (form coming soon).  If you are a Organization wanting to join us, its free too, just some different services for you (banner trades, web hosting, your own forum, your own guestbook, etc).  We are not for profit, but we will start side projects for fund raising (Examples for fundraising in the works are FriendlyCanadian for Canadian advertising and www.9lbs.com for web hosting, both not complete as of yet).

Now www.ACToronto.org has stolen all my ideas they said were not needed on their new site http://www.POZCanadian.com which copies my www.HIVaidssearch.com, www.POZ.ca, www.HIVdate.com, www.HIVforum.com, www.HIVsearch.com, www.HIV-AIDS-POZ.com (sites I asked them for help with, they wanted to know all about the stats I get and how many Canadians used)! Can you believe that they had the nerve to come into my chat rooms too spam their website (they have the money to pay for legit advertising).