Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Bay Area Reporter - September 22, 2005
Matthew S. Bajko, m.bajko@ebar.com
The Above and Beyond Fund, created by Under One Roof, announced this week it had raised and distributed $4,750 to help PWAs from the impacted region. The money is being shared by three Gulf Coast agencies: in Louisiana the Baton Rouge AIDS Society, on behalf of Brotherhood Inc., will receive $2,000; in Alabama the Mobile AIDS Support Services will get $2,000; and Montgomery AIDS Outreach will receive $750. A panel of leaders from Bay Area AIDS agencies is overseeing the fund and based allocation of the money from conversations with AIDS agency leaders in the two states.
"After placing numerous calls to their colleagues in the region, our expert advisory panel recommended we immediately wire money to these three organizations on the frontline of this tragedy," said Mike Marshall, executive director of Under One Roof.
Mike Smith, AIDS Emergency Fund executive director and fund advisory panel member, added that, "It's clear from our due diligence that most of these organizations need funds to help feed, house, and provide basic services to their HIV-positive clients."
With power still out in many places throughout the region, and people having been uprooted to cities throughout the country, fund officials said they have had trouble reaching AIDS groups in New Orleans and coastal Mississippi. The fund will continue to collect donations through the Web site http://www.underoneroof.org.
"We have had difficulty reaching functioning organizations in New Orleans or southern Mississippi to support at this time, but we expect that our next disbursements will go to these devastated communities," said Marshall.
Apart from sending cash to the region, some local leaders want the city to invite PWAs to move here, especially those who made their way to Texas. The state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program has been criticized for its lack of coverage of life-saving medicines. According to the San Francisco-based AIDS Housing Alliance, Texas' ADAP will pay for only three medications. The program does not cover Septra, which prevents PCP pneumonia and was once a leading cause of death for PWAs.
"Texas does not pay for the drugs that keep us alive," said Brian Basinger, an HIV-positive man and director of the alliance. "I have members who were evicted from their homes and wound up in Texas, where they have been hospitalized with PCP."
As the city opened its doors to house victims of Katrina in surplus housing, Basinger called on city leaders last week to also extend a welcome to PWAs.
"Please consider making a special effort to house the people with AIDS whose lives you might be able to save," Basinger asked in an e-mail to the supervisors.
Answering Basinger's request, Supervisor Tom Ammiano introduced legislation on Tuesday, September 20 asking the city to do what it can for those people with HIV and AIDS displaced by the storm. Ammiano said while it is unclear how many, if any, PWAs from the Gulf Coast states have made their way to the city, city leaders should ensure they receive the best care possible.
"This is about not letting people with HIV fall between the cracks. If they are here from New Orleans, then there are special needs to be taken into consideration," he said.
Along with access to healthcare, appropriate housing is of greatest concern, said Ammiano.
"Anyone with any kind of challenging physical or emotional issue, such as having HIV, should be given some consideration to not be placed in such a situation that could be detrimental to their condition," he said.
050922
BR050905
Copyright © 2005 - The Bay Area Reporter. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the The Bay Area Reporter.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2005. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2005. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .