Palmetto Community Care (PCC), in partnership with the SHAPE Initiative and Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, will host a World AIDS Day ceremony and candlelight remembrance service on Monday, December 1, bringing the Lowcountry community together to honor lives lost, uplift those living with HIV, and reaffirm a shared commitment to ending the HIV epidemic.
The gathering at Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church will provide a space for reflection, unity, and healing. The evening service will feature remarks from community leaders, moments of prayer, and a candlelight remembrance ceremony honoring loved ones lost to HIV/AIDS and celebrating the strength and resilience of individuals living with HIV.
“As the world continues to shift around us, tonight we pause to honor lives, reflect on progress, and recommit to showing up for one another,” said Nadia Klincewicz, Community and Outreach Liaison for SHAPE. “Guided by this year’s theme, ‘Moving Together,’ we are grateful to gather in North Charleston and begin a new partnership with Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church and Rev. Robert Arrington.”
Event Details
- What: World AIDS Day Ceremony & Candlelight Remembrance Service
- When: Monday, December 1, 2025
- Where: Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church 7396 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406
- Time: 6:30 pm
- Hosted by: Palmetto Community Care, the SHAPE Initiative, and Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church
World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988, becoming the first-ever global health observance. For more than three decades, December 1 has served as a day to remember the millions of lives lost to HIV/AIDS, support those living with HIV, and mobilize communities toward prevention, testing, treatment access, and ending stigma.
“World AIDS Day reminds us that our work is both historical and ongoing,” said Richard Reams, Director of Development and Marketing at Palmetto Community Care. “Partnering with SHAPE and Mount Moriah allows us to gather as a community—across faith, culture, and experience—to remember, honor, and continue the fight against HIV with compassion and purpose.”
Despite significant medical advancements, HIV remains a pressing public health issue in South Carolina:
- South Carolina consistently ranks among the top 10 U.S. states for HIV incidence.
- The Charleston–North Charleston area reports one of the highest rates of new HIV diagnoses in the state.
- Black and Latinx communities continue to be disproportionately impacted, reflecting longstanding inequities in access to healthcare and social support.
- Many individuals in the Lowcountry are still diagnosed late in infection, increasing health risks and underscoring the need for expanded testing and education.
These realities highlight why community gatherings like this World AIDS Day service remain essential.
PCC continues to provide free HIV testing, case management, PrEP access and navigation, community education, and support services—critical tools in reducing new infections and improving health outcomes across diverse communities.