New York City M.A.C Cosmetics Artists Put Away Their Eyelash Curlers and Don Red Ribbons for World AIDS Day

NEW YORK, Dec. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today M.A.C Cosmetics makeup artists in New York City 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 strengthen the artists' relationship with the brand's philanthropic foundation, the M.A.C AIDS Fund, and its many grantees.

M.A.C artists from the New York area are donating their time and skills to several local organizations that are dedicated to improving the well-being of residents affected by HIV/AIDS and other life challenging issues. At God's Love We Deliver (GLWD), M.A.C volunteers will be working in the kitchen to slice and dice up to 1,000 pounds of vegetables, prepare other food items, pack desserts and label meal containers. Volunteers will also be delivering meals to GLWD clients all over Manhattan.  

Other M.A.C volunteers will work with children who receive services from Bailey House, an organization that provides housing and support services to homeless men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS in New York City. The M.A.C artists will help children design holiday artwork for M.A.C's Kids Helping Kids holiday cards.

At Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), an organization that provides prevention and care services to more than 15,000 men, women and families that are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in New York City, M.A.C volunteers will be preparing and serving lunch for the GMHC's Meal Program.

M.A.C volunteers will also be working with a number of other New York area organizations including Food Bank, Safe Horizon, Iris House, The Family Center, Henry Street Settlement, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital and Love Heals.  

"Volunteering on World AIDS Day has been such an inspiring experience. It is wonderful to see the difference that one small VIVA GLAM Lipstick can make for individuals around the world. Volunteering has allowed me to get to know my co-workers and I truly believe this experience helps everyone tell the M.A.C AIDS Fund story in their own personal way," said Fatima Thomas, senior makeup artist, M.A.C Cosmetics.

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