More than $400,000 was raised and more than 15,000 people participated in the 17th annual AIDS Walk San Diego, which took place Oct. 1 in Balboa Park.

Local elected officials including state Senator Denise Moreno Ducheny, San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Council President Scott Peters and City Councilmember Toni Atkins participated in the program. Teams from BD Bioscience, Qualcomm, Pfizer, Francis Parker School and many more local businesses and organizations also participated.

“We are overwhelmed at the generosity of our San Diego community,” said Jennifer Jones, director of development for The Center. “People from all walks of life helped raise these critically-needed funds because HIV/AIDS impacts so many people that we love and care about. There are more than 16,000 San Diegans and over a million Americans living with HIV. It was tremendously inspiring to see so many turn out and raise this money. It sends a clear message to all those living with HIV and AIDS that we care.”