Proceeds Benefit Illinois Agencies Providing HIV/AIDS Prevention, Education, and Care Services
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2020
Media Contacts: Amelia Dellos, (312) 898-8792
CHICAGO – The Illinois Lottery is bringing back its annual Red Ribbon Cash instant ticket, which has raised more than $8.6 million for HIV/AIDS prevention, education, and treatment in Illinois since 2008. All proceeds from the ticket are distributed through grants, from the Illinois Public Health Department (IDPH) to organizations across Illinois.
“This year’s ticket is launching during a time when public health is top of mind for everyone, and it is especially important to keep our most vulnerable communities safe,” said Illinois Lottery Acting Director Harold Mays. “We are proud to continue our partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health to support the fight against HIV.”
While HIV transmissions have dropped 21% over the last decade (2009-2018) according to the IDPH, there is still work to be done. Funds generated from the Red Ribbon Cash ticket are a vital contribution to the state’s Getting to Zero initiative, aimed at ending the HIV epidemic in our state by 2030.
“Over the years, the Red Ribbon Cash Ticket has been hugely helpful in providing funding and awareness for HIV services in Chicago and across Illinois. This year, its financial impact will be felt so much more by our community, as COVID-19 has created huge challenges for the economic, physical and mental wellness of people living with and disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS,” said John Peller, President/CEO, AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC). “We are grateful to the Illinois State Lottery for supporting AFC’s work to provide COVID-19 relief as well as a spectrum of other life-changing services that will help our community ride out this storm.”
The IDPH recently announced its latest grant cycle, for the Red Ribbon Cash/Quality of Life Grant, which is now accepting applications. Quality of Life grantees receive funds for HIV/AIDS research, treatment, and prevention programs across the state of Illinois. The Red Ribbon Cash Ticket costs $3, and players can win up to $50,000. The ticket is on sale now at more than 7,200 Illinois Lottery retailers across Illinois.
The specialty ticket is one of nine in the Illinois Lottery’s portfolio of instant tickets that support special causes. Since 2006, through the sales of specialty tickets, more than $50 million has been raised for special causes in Illinois through the Illinois Lottery.
For more information about the Red Ribbon Cash Ticket, please visit https://www.illinoislottery.com/giving-back/specialty-tickets
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About the Illinois Lottery:
Founded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery has contributed over $21 billion (since 1985) to the state’s Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars to the Capital Projects Fund and to special causes like homelessness prevention, Illinois Veterans services, the fight against breast cancer, MS research, Special Olympics, police memorial funds and assistance for people living with HIV/AIDS. In addition to playing in-store, the Illinois Lottery offers online and mobile play for all draw-based Illinois Lottery games at illinoislottery.com. Players must be at least 18 years old.
