ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — Set for September 19th, the 2026 AIDS Ride for Life is now operating under the name of Finger Lakes Ride for Life.

The new name of the annual fundraiser will reflect the broadening horizons of the Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP) and their goal to give aid to those struggling with health issues beyond HIV/AIDS.

“30 years ago, HIV and AIDS were devastating communities across the country in a very different way than it is today,” said Kayla Thomas, event coordinator at STAP. “Through decades of medical advancement, prevention tools, education, and harm reduction, we have seen incredible progress. People are living longer, healthier lives, and transmission rates have been significantly reduced.”

STAP has started zeroing in on people facing stigma, experiencing challenges to receiving healthcare, and enduring medical crises such as the modern opioid epidemic, looking to help people who have been marginalized receive care they have not had access to.

“The fact that people can now ask, ‘Is AIDS even still a thing?’ reflects how much has changed over the course of STAP’s 40-plus years of work, but it also underscores why the work of organizations like STAP still matter and indicates how they can evolve,” said Thomas. “We hope to achieve similar positive outcomes with the health challenges that beg attention today.”

Learn more about this year’s Finger Lakes Ride for Life and register for the event here.