The past two decades, a disease called AIDS has touched the lives of nearly every American. Before there was any national effort to focus community resources on the epidemic, a group of friends in New Orleans recognized that people living with HIV and AIDS - people whom they care about-were in need of a helping hand. In 1983, these friends founded NO/AIDS Task Force, a partnership with a purpose: to fight HIV and AIDS with prevention, understanding and care. NO/AIDS is the oldest and largest AIDS service organization in the Gulf South region, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.

Many of the organization's founders believed that the need for services for people with HIV and AIDS would be short-lived, thus the name "Task Force." Unfortunately, nearly two decades later, the pandemic persists. Thousands of lives have been lost, many more individuals have been diagnosed and countless numbers of people have been infected. The need for services continues to escalate faster than resources can be identified. In response to this, NO/AIDS constantly renews it commitment to increase knowledge, change behavior and reduce risk through services and support that are so desperately needed.