9.18.07 - Leading HIV/AIDS Funders Come Together to Bring Nearly $1 Million to 42 Bay Area Programs

San Francisco, September 18, 2007 -- The San Francisco AIDS Foundation, National AIDS Fund and Elton John AIDS Foundation, working in partnership with Horizons Foundation, have awarded $770,000 to 42 Bay Area organizations working to ensure access to AIDS treatment, halt the spread of HIV, and offer critically needed housing assistance and other services to people with HIV. San Francisco AIDS Foundation provided $670,000 of the funding from its AIDS Walk and AIDS Marathon programs, and an additional $100,000 was awarded for prevention efforts by the National AIDS Fund and Elton John AIDS Foundation.

"The money raised through the AIDS Walk and AIDS Marathons sends a clear message that our community is committed to eradicating HIV in the Bay Area and around the world," said Mark Cloutier, Executive Director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. "The 42 agencies that have received the grants are creating innovative ways to break the cycle of new infections, and provide much-needed resources to face the challenges of another year fighting HIV and AIDS."

The recipients of the HIV/AIDS Community Grants were selected by a diverse community advisory panel overseen by Horizons Foundation, the Bay Area's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community foundation. Using guidelines from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the panel chose a mix of programs and services that will have the greatest impact on HIV in the six Bay Area counties.

"Horizons Foundation is honored to be a partner in funding these vital HIV/AIDS services," said Roger Doughty, Horizons' Executive Director. "The grants--which support a wide spectrum of community needs, from HIV prevention to legal advocacy--would not have been possible without the compassion and generosity of people all around the Bay Area who stepped forward to help."

In addition to the HIV/AIDS Community Grants, for the third year the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and AIDS Walk encouraged eligible HIV/AIDS agencies to field Walk teams as part of the Community Partnership Program. The agency teams receive 100% of the proceeds raised by their eligible team participants. This year, 22 organizations raised a total of $127,813 for their work, an increase of 39% over 2006.

STOP AIDS Project, in particular, has seen great success through this program. Robert McMullin, Executive Director of STOP AIDS Project, said, "Through the generosity of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and their spirit of community, STOP AIDS Project was empowered to raise over $23,000 this year, 100% of which is being directed to our programs and services."