Although World AIDS day was Tuesday, the city of Binghamton will celebrate with a benefit today at the Binghamton University Downtown Center.

The benefit, STAP World AIDS Day, co-sponsored by the Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP), Circle K and the Student Volunteer Center (SVC), will take place from 6 to 9 p.m.

“The whole event is supposed to focus on how AIDS is a serious epidemic in Africa,” said senior economics and Spanish major Elizabeth Schwartz, vice president of SVC, which provides volunteer opportunities for students in Broome County.

According to its official Web site, STAP, an organization that fights for AIDS awareness in local areas, was founded in 1984 as a local response to the HIV epidemic. STAP provides HIV and Hepatitis C prevention education and services to individuals and communities.

“Throughout this semester we have been trying to raise money for [STAP] for Robbie’s Pantry,” Schwartz said.

Robbie’s Pantry supplies AIDS patients in the Southern Tier, who are trying to offset the cost of medical bills, with cleaning supplies, toothpaste, soap and other materials they may need.

The Jifahamu Kenya Foundation, a non-profit organization that addresses health-related issues in society, including AIDS, will be selling its jewelry and hand-crafted trinkets at the UDC to raise money for the foundation.

“Since there have been quite a bit of developments in a vaccine for AIDS … [vaccination is] a topic that does not seem as dismal as before,” said junior linguistics and German double major Leah Gottlieb, advertising coordinator for SVC. “Over the span of half of the time it’s been around, it has become something that is manageable … Instead of making it out to be a curse, people get the word out about it.”

In addition to help from the SVC, service groups such as Circle K have also lent a hand in celebrating AIDS awareness.

“Circle K members will be contributing to the Friday event by helping to set up the space, modeling jewelery, serving food, packaging sales, collecting donations and helping to clean up after the event,” said Lauren Anuszewski, president of BU’s Circle K, a student-run community service club.