Larry Kessler
Encyclopedia
Larry Kessler is the Founding Director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
, an agency that has served over half of all people diagnosed with AIDS
in Massachusetts
, educated generations about the disease, and secured progressive city, state, and federal AIDS
policy.
Kessler founded and directed Project Appalachia, an anti-poverty program, from 1966-1968. The Meals on Wheels
program he started in McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, still operates today. As co-founder and director of Pittsburgh's Thomas Merton Center from 1970-1973, he took an active role in the civil rights
, anti-poverty, and anti-war movements.
Kessler continued his activism at Boston's Paulist Center from 1973-1979, where he expanded the Walk for Hunger
into the year-round anti-hunger program, Project Bread. During Boston's desegregation crisis in 1974, Kessler served as a bus monitor to help Boston kids get to school safely.
to discuss the crisis, and AAC
was created. Kessler became its first employee in 1983, and is now the longest-serving director of any AIDS group
in the country.
Kessler served as AAC
's Executive Director from 1983 until early 2002, when he moved into the Founding Director's role at the agency.
AAC
now employs nearly 100 people, serves over 2,400 men, women, and children living with HIV, and educates thousands around the state of Massachusetts.
relies on funding each year from its annual AIDS Walk Boston
and Larry Kessler 5K Run where participants engage in peer-to-peer fundraising in support of the agency. The Larry Kessler 5K Run was created as a 5K race held concurrently with AIDS Walk Boston
in 2001. It was renamed in honor of AAC
's founding director in 2006, and has since been referred to as the Larry Kessler 5K Run.
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the epidemic and related health inequities by eliminating new infections, maximizing healthier outcomes of those infected and at risk, and attacking the root causes of HIV/AIDS.Based in Boston, it is...
, an agency that has served over half of all people diagnosed with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, educated generations about the disease, and secured progressive city, state, and federal AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
policy.
Social Activism
Kessler was born in 1942 in Pittsburgh, PA. In his time, he has been an ironworker, a small businessman, a seminarian, and a community organizer. In 1960, after high school, he briefly studied for the priesthood before getting involved full time in social activism through a wide variety of different causes.Kessler founded and directed Project Appalachia, an anti-poverty program, from 1966-1968. The Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
program he started in McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, still operates today. As co-founder and director of Pittsburgh's Thomas Merton Center from 1970-1973, he took an active role in the civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, anti-poverty, and anti-war movements.
Kessler continued his activism at Boston's Paulist Center from 1973-1979, where he expanded the Walk for Hunger
Walk for Hunger
Project Bread's Walk for Hunger is the oldest continual pledge walk in the United States and the largest annual one-day fundraiser to alleviate local hunger in Massachusetts.-Project Bread - The Walk for Hunger:...
into the year-round anti-hunger program, Project Bread. During Boston's desegregation crisis in 1974, Kessler served as a bus monitor to help Boston kids get to school safely.
AIDS Action Committee
While running a successful business in 1982, Kessler first heard about the onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He and others met at Fenway Community Health ClinicFenway Health
Fenway Health, originally called Fenway Community Health Center, is an LGBT health care, research and advocacy organization. It has had a number of homes over the years, including its current Ansin Building home at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston, which opened its doors in 2009...
to discuss the crisis, and AAC
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the epidemic and related health inequities by eliminating new infections, maximizing healthier outcomes of those infected and at risk, and attacking the root causes of HIV/AIDS.Based in Boston, it is...
was created. Kessler became its first employee in 1983, and is now the longest-serving director of any AIDS group
AIDS service organization
AIDS service organizations are community based organizations that provide community support. While their primary function is to provide needed services to individuals with HIV, they also provide support services for their families and friends as well as conduct prevention efforts...
in the country.
Kessler served as AAC
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the epidemic and related health inequities by eliminating new infections, maximizing healthier outcomes of those infected and at risk, and attacking the root causes of HIV/AIDS.Based in Boston, it is...
's Executive Director from 1983 until early 2002, when he moved into the Founding Director's role at the agency.
AAC
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the epidemic and related health inequities by eliminating new infections, maximizing healthier outcomes of those infected and at risk, and attacking the root causes of HIV/AIDS.Based in Boston, it is...
now employs nearly 100 people, serves over 2,400 men, women, and children living with HIV, and educates thousands around the state of Massachusetts.
The Larry Kessler 5K Run
AACAIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the epidemic and related health inequities by eliminating new infections, maximizing healthier outcomes of those infected and at risk, and attacking the root causes of HIV/AIDS.Based in Boston, it is...
relies on funding each year from its annual AIDS Walk Boston
AIDS Walk Boston
AIDS Walk Boston is a walkathon fundraiser hosted annually in Boston, Massachusetts to benefit AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts , New England's oldest and largest not-for-profit AIDS service organization....
and Larry Kessler 5K Run where participants engage in peer-to-peer fundraising in support of the agency. The Larry Kessler 5K Run was created as a 5K race held concurrently with AIDS Walk Boston
AIDS Walk Boston
AIDS Walk Boston is a walkathon fundraiser hosted annually in Boston, Massachusetts to benefit AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts , New England's oldest and largest not-for-profit AIDS service organization....
in 2001. It was renamed in honor of AAC
AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts
Founded in 1983, is a not-for-profit, community-based health organization whose mission is to stop the epidemic and related health inequities by eliminating new infections, maximizing healthier outcomes of those infected and at risk, and attacking the root causes of HIV/AIDS.Based in Boston, it is...
's founding director in 2006, and has since been referred to as the Larry Kessler 5K Run.