Today is officially World AIDS Day, and while many companies are doing their part in supporting the cause, MAC proudly supports the cause all year long! While many cosmetic companies are concerned with many other health issues; M.A.C. is the only cosmetic company that promotes awareness and assists this global issue year-round! AIDS is very real, and sadly awareness campaigns are not as visible as they used to be. But, with M.A.C. where everyday is World AIDS Day; they make sure to spread the word and keep their campaign going strong as they continue to donate 100% of each sale of their Viva Glam lipstick and lipgloss series. To date, through sales of their Viva  Glam lipstick, M.A.C. has raised over $130 million dollars for their fund. Won't you join in and support? Keep reading to learn more!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

M·A·C AIDS Fund Seeks to Reduce the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Children in South Africa with $2.5 Million USD in GRANTS. Consumers in 16 countries around the world supporting women- and children-focused programs at UNICEF and NOAH Johannesburg, South Africa – November 24, 2008. A new grant program from the M·A·C AIDS Fund has granted $2.5 million to fighting HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The grant will go to UNICEF South Africa and (NOAH) Nurturing Orphans of AIDS for Humanity to help in testing and treating pregnant women and strengthen the community infrastructure to care for children orphaned by AIDS.

The children of South Africa have been hard hit by the AIDS epidemic, where 280,000 children are living with the disease and 1.4 million have lost one or both parents.

The $2.5 million was raised $14 at a time across 16 countries when M·A·C Cosmetics customers purchased VIVA GLAM lipsticks and lipglasses. The entire sale price of the products is directed to the MAC AIDS Fund.

“It is our responsibility as a global company to invest in integrated and sustainable HIV/AIDS initiatives and programs,” said Nancy Mahon, Senior Vice President of M·A·C Cosmetics and Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund. “This collaboration will have a significant impact on addressing the alarming and rising rates of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, working in partnership with two important local grassroots organizations that are on the frontlines and have a deep and vast understanding of the issue.”

The new M·A·C AIDS Fund grant will provide $2 million to UNICEF to provide HIV testing and treatment to pregnant women and children in Kwazulu Natal, North West and Limpopo which together account for 50 percent of the 5.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the country. In addition to expanding programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, this grant will allow the provincial governments to incorporate HIV testing into existing immunization programs. This will provide a critical opportunity to identify HIV-positive children and bring them into care and treatment. The program will also provide treatment to 36,000 pregnant HIV positive women to prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies and ongoing antiretroviral medication to over 5,000 women and children.

AIDS kills 25,000 young South African children zero to four years old every year, yet two out of every five HIV-infected mothers do not have access to antiretroviral drugs to prevent mothers from passing HIV to their unborn babies.

“The partnership between UNICEF and the M·A·C AIDS Fund will help improve access to treatment for mothers and children as these services will be brought closer to where those in greatest need reside, in rural and remote areas” said Ngashi Ngongo, UNICEF Chief of Health in South Africa. “This initiative will help reduce the number of new HIV infections in children, keep mothers alive and reduce the number of orphans.”

The $500,000 grant to NOAH will provide basic needs and services for AIDS orphans, a population totaling some 1.4 million in South Africa where adoption rates are down nearly 13 percent from last year. NOAH’s 107 community “Arks” will provide food, clothing and basic health, hygiene and sanitation supplies for an estimated 5,000 children.

“This donation will nearly double our capacity as we work to build a support system within South African
communities to care for children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS,” said Isabel Hancock, Chief Executive Officer of NOAH. “This grant will provide the platform on which communities will be mobilized to create an environment where orphaned and vulnerable children are nurtured such that they grow to be participative citizens of South Africa and at the same time realize their dreams.”

“The power of one VIVA GLAM lipstick or Lipglass never ceases to amaze me,” said M·A·C Cosmetics Global
President and M·A·C AIDS Fund Chairman John Demsey. “In this case, the proceeds from hundreds
of thousands of VIVA GLAM sales will support two innovative and groundbreaking HIV/AIDS programs in
South Africa. The two organizations we are supporting through this global partnership really understand
the needs of their country, uniquely positioning them to create and implement comprehensive programs to
address the AIDS crisis in South Africa. VIVA GLAM customers should be proud to know that they are
directly contributing to the global fight against HIV/AIDS.”

The M·A·C AIDS Fund began supporting HIV/AIDS programs in Africa in 2000, and has granted more than
$10 million in South Africa alone. In South Africa VIVA GLAM can be purchased at one of 13 M·A·C Cosmetics stores with five locations in Johannesburg, one in Pretoria, four in Cape Town, two in Durban and one in Port Elizabeth.

The following 16 M·A·C markets are participating in this initiative: Austria, Belgium, Dubai, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

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 in underserved regions and with underserved populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical funder 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 $130 million USD 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.

About UNICEF:

UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and government.