Online social group Strength in Numbers (SIN) started off as a potluck dinner advertised on POZ Personals in 2002. Today, it boasts more than 10,000 members from around the world. “When I was first diagnosed with HIV in 2000, I was so lost,” says Bryan Levinson, SIN’s founder. “I started going to other HIV-related events, and then I decided to host my own.”

SIN uses popular online network sites such as Facebook, Flicker and Yahoo! groups to connect members so they can chat about a host of issues such as treatment, dating, STIs and stigma. Also, each month, depending on the chapter, members meet for events ranging from opera and cocktail hours to whitewater rafting. And unlike the gym or some online dating sites, this membership is free.
Levinson’s main goal is for his HIV-positive members to be empowered. “I want these men to feel like they can do anything with their lives and know that they are not alone.”

Find or start a chapter in your area by visiting sinhq.xbuild.com.