12 Ways You Can Show Support for World AIDS Day

The world has unified around combating HIV since the founding of World AIDS Day in 1988, serving the 36.7 million people living with the illness worldwide and honoring the millions who have died from AIDS-related illnesses. On Dec. 1, get creative with showing support, raising money, raising awareness, or simply lending moral and emotional encouragement to victims, their loved ones, and caretakers.

The red ribbon is probably the most enduring and instantly recognizable symbol of support. It emerged in the early days of the crisis as a symbol of solidarity and is now standard fare at high-profile events such as the Academy Awards. Send away for a free 100-pack with the promise of fundraising, or buy one from someone who did.

Wearing all red -- the more outlandish and obvious the costume, the better -- sparks conversation and spreads the message. It is also a good fundraising identifier, as donations can be collected from people also wearing red at a school or office. (Or to find a sponsor to donate on your behalf.) Either way, spread the love by tweeting out pictures with the hashtag #LetsEndIt.

If you distribute a newsletter, media release, or listserve, Healthfinder.gov offers sample text to simply cut and paste into the body of a message. Along with your regular letter will come valuable information about testing, prevention, and statistics to your subscribers while showing support for eradicating HIV.

As technology has advanced, so have the ways to support a cause. Instead of -- or in addition to -- a physical red ribbon seen only by the people encountered throughout the day, embed a simple string of HTML code on a website to show every visitor that you care. You can find the badge code on HIV.gov.

Testing just might be the single most potent weapon in the global fight against AIDS. Support an end to the disease by supporting increased testing -- and show it by embedding a simple widget from HIV.gov on a website to help visitors find free testing services nearby.

Whether in the window of a store or on the front door of your home, display support for World AIDS day with a free, printable poster or flier. There's no copyright restrictions for either the 8.5- by 11-inch flier or 11- by 17-inch poster.

Today's activists can reach far more people with a few clicks online than activists in previous generations could during an entire campaign. Using #WorldAIDSDay in Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram posts not only shows support for the cause, but increase its visibility and improves the likelihood the concept will trend.

The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial started in 1983. Led by 1,200 community organizations in 115 countries, the event is coordinated by the Global Network of People living with HIV. Although it culminates on the third Sunday in May, mobilization for the event starts on World AIDS Day. Show support by joining mobilization efforts with a local community group Dec. 1.

While not everyone has the means to donate, money is the fuel that powers the fight against AIDS. Whether it goes to research, increased access, education, or prevention, a donation to the National AIDS Trust (or any HIV/AIDS organization) is literally a lifesaver.

If you can't afford to donate, or prefer a collective effort, consider hosting a fundraiser to gather money for the cause. The National AIDS Trust, which turns 30 this year, maintains a helpful resource of fundraiser ideas, information, and more.

Amateur photographers with a passion for causes can submit high-resolution snapshots to the USAID World AIDS Day Photo Contest. Include a caption describing and how the picture relates to stemming the epidemic.

Food & Friends brings holiday feasts to people with life-challenging illnesses, including HIV/AIDS. Supporters can donate money, work in a kitchen, or volunteer to deliver food.