Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF) was established in 1991 to respond to the pressing need for HIV/AIDS education, treatment, and prevention. Founder Earvin “Magic” Johnson initially focused his philanthropic work specifically to help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, and improve the quality of life for the individuals and families affected by the disease. MJF’s HIV/AIDS initiative is directly in line with its mission.
The purpose of the HIV/AIDS initiative is to provide access to quality healthcare to low-income individuals residing in economically challenged urban communities who would not otherwise have the ability to afford services and may not have access to educational information and treatment. MJF has formed collaborations with community based healthcare agencies that focus on HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment to provide a full range of healthcare services, including:
• HIV/AIDS Testing
• Education and Awareness
• Full Service Treatment Centers
• Managed Medications
• Prevention
• Consultation and Counseling
• Community Grants Program
• Empowerment & Mentoring
• Supportive Services
• Information & Resources
HIV/AIDS is steadily increasing in America with 57,000 new infections each year. African Americans and Hispanics have been disproportionately affected since the early years of the epidemic. In absolute numbers, African Americans have outnumbered whites in new AIDS diagnoses and deaths since 1996, and in the number of people living with AIDS since 1998. More than half a million people have died after developing AIDS.
Despite the alarming speed with which HIV/AIDS continues to spread around the world, and significant cuts to federal programs, tremendous accomplishments have been made in curbing its transmission, including interventions with target populations that transmit the virus in both high and low-risk groups, education, peer empowerment, use of antiretroviral therapy, and the development of new drugs and treatments. The greatest challenge is to adapt care and treatment modalities in ways that help prolong high-quality life in an affordable manner.
