More About Us
In late November 1997 Tia Jordan and Jonathan Mill from the cast of Cabaret organised a benefit at The Chamberlain Hotel. The evening raised over $4,000 for the Community Support Network of the AIDS Council of New South Wales. During that night the idea for an Australian entertainment industry HIV/AIDS charity, along the lines of the highly successful Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, was born.
With the support of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, (of which Actors Equity is a section within the Union), a committee of interested people was formed, rules drawn up and on February 6th 1998 Oz Showbiz Cares / Equity Fights AIDS Inc. officially came into existence.
Since 1997, Oz Showbiz Cares / Equity Fights AIDS Inc. has raised over $400,000 for critically needed services for people with AIDS, HIV and HIV-related illnesses.
Money has been donated to the following HIV/AIDS charities:
- Bobby Goldsmith Foundation
- Aids Trust of Australia
- St Vincents Hospital
- AIDS Council of New South Wales
- People Living With HIV/AIDS (NSW)
- People Living With HIV/AIDS (VIC)
- The Luncheon Club
- Positive Women Victoria
- The David Kopp Foundation
- 2010
- Pets Are Wonderful Support
- The Redfern Gay and Lesbian Community Group
- Actors Benevolent Fund
- The Bouverie Centre
- The Quilt Project Melbourne
- The Victorian AIDS Council
All members of MEAA are members of Oz Showbiz Cares / Equity Fights AIDS Inc. and all members of the arts and entertainment industry are invited to join with us and help fight this terrible disease which has so badly affected our industry.
Help us to raise money, raise awareness and raise the roof.
Over half the people living in Australia with HIV are doing so on incomes below the poverty line