Bay Area Reporter - November 10, 2005
Matthew S. Bajko, m.bajko@ebar.com

"Without doubt we need to raise our public awareness and a lot of time and energy is going into this. People hear about the tremendous work of the organizations receiving grants from us but they don't always hear of our involvement and national leadership," said fund board member Jeremy Woan, a San Francisco resident who also spends time in London, in an e-mail.

Woan, who joined the fund's board in April 2004, said it is important for the fund to raise its public profile, especially as governmental funding for AIDS care and HIV prevention continues to decline.

"Over the next few years I would really like to see a greater public awareness of and support for the important work we do in creating community initiatives and action in areas and situations where otherwise they might not happen," wrote Woan.

The fund has an annual budget of about $3.4 million, according to its financial statement.

One step the fund has taken is to team with San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels. Three years ago the hotel chain launched "The Red Ribbon Campaign" to help raise money for the fund by donating a percentage of room rentals during October and November to the organization. Each year the hotel group has pledged to raise $25,000 during the campaign.

Forming the long-term partnership with the AIDS fund made perfect sense not only from a business perspective, but from an employee standpoint as well, said Niki Leondakis, Kimpton's chief operating officer.

"We have lost a lot of employees to the AIDS pandemic. Our current workforce is of a young age and places a lot of importance on AIDS education and awareness. Our employees understand this is not the corporate flavor of the month," said Leondakis. "Customers are doing value audits on who they do business with. They are choosier about who and why they give their money to. The benefits for us have been fantastic."

This year the campaign is adding a new element, parties to be hosted by Kimpton-owned hotels and restaurants in 12 cities on December 1 to commemorate World AIDS Day, including the Harbor Court Hotel in San Francisco. It may seem counterintuitive to throw a party on, of all days, World AIDS Day, but such is the occasion the AIDS fund and Kimpton have decided on to rollout the new coast-to-coast fundraiser. The parties are meant to be more than just celebratory; they are a way to return a local focus to HIV prevention, organizers said.

"At this point in this country we are victims of our own success. People believe HIV is over in this country," said Kandy Ferree, president and chief executive officer of the AIDS fund. "People think it's not an issue or something you treat, like diabetes, with medicine. They've largely turned their attention to the international epidemic. Personally, I have a problem with that because it is one epidemic. The same risks sub-Saharan African women face is true for women in the Tenderloin."

As the media increasingly focuses on AIDS and its impact in the developing world, interest in World AIDS Day in the U.S. has dwindled since being launched 18 years ago, said Ferree. Reasons vary, from AIDS no longer being a death sentence to being more of a chronic disease to the public's focus gravitating to other life-threatening illnesses, such as breast cancer.

"I don't think it means a whole lot to people any more. It was a huge success early on in raising awareness but it is becoming more difficult," said Ferree.

In such an environment, fundraising for AIDS causes has become more challenging, and groups are looking for new ways to tap into donors' largesse. By hosting the parties, Kimpton and AIDS fund officials hope to reinvigorate their common cause, to stop the spread of HIV.

"It is important for people to remember it hasn't gone away. There still isn't a cure," said Greg Horner, director of sales and marketing for Kimpton's restaurant division and a member of the Kimpton Gay and Lesbian Employee Network.

***

For more information about the AIDS fund, visit www.aidsfund.org.

051110
BR051101

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. .