Washington Blade - October 12, 2001
Kara Fox
Prior to the Saturday, Oct. 6, AIDS Walk, administrators were concerned about the Clinic's budget and fundraising due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. Gay and AIDS organizations in both cities have been scrambling to find funds to support their organizations since the government, businesses, and individuals are giving mostly to Sept. 11 disaster relief organizations.
The Clinic had estimated raising just over $1 million from the annual AIDS Walk, but fell way short of that goal. According to Clinic reports, AIDS Walk Washington, which benefits the largest AIDS services organization in the Washington area, raised an estimated $420,000 -- falling $800,000 short of its original goal. In addition, only about 3,500 people showed up for the walk, which stepped off from the Washington Monument ground at 9 a.m. Pledges for the walk have been decreasing every year since 1997 and this year was the low point, signaling a red light for the Clinic.
A. Cornelius Baker, executive director of Whitman-Walker Clinic, told the Blade that the Clinic was "pretty much on course" for the walk prior to Sept. 11, but that pledges had died down during the time that is most crucial for the event. Only $235,000 was raised before the event this year, down from the $400,000 raised before last year's event, according to Baker.
"We tried to change our focus from corporate giving to grassroots fundraising," Baker said of the strategy to raise money for the walk. "We're pretty sure that the fall-off is due to the Sept. 11 tragedy."
With the poor turnout that the AIDS Walk brought, combined with a 50 percent decrease in direct mail donations and an expected low giving rate from the United Way/Combined Federal Campaign, the Clinic is now looking at ways to cut expenditures without a cost to their patients. Baker noted that because the Clinic ended the 2001 fiscal year in September in a good financial position, no immediate reductions would have to be made. He said that the Clinic has enough money to provide client services through December.
"This is a long-term crisis," Baker said. "$800,000 is serious for us."
Baker said that if the trend of decreased fundraising remains over the next few months, the Clinic would look to make cuts.
"Over the next couple of days, we're going to have to look at staffing patterns, services, our hours of operation, etc.," Baker said Tuesday. He said that if the situation does not get better, "stringent methods" would be implemented.
The Clinic has also lost revenue since Sept. 11 from a telemarketing campaign that the Clinic suspended for two weeks and from a direct-mail campaign that was suspended for three weeks.
"We have weathered a lot of storms before," Baker said. "This is one of the greatest challenges we have ever faced -- continuing services with every effort we can."
Baker stressed a need for volunteers, especially if the Clinic begins to make staff cuts.
"If these trends continue that we and other charities are seeing," Baker said, "we will be making some serious, dramatic cuts."
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