Fall 2002

Grantees Meet Diverse Needs for Community-based HIV and AIDS Services

or more than 20 years, California communities have faced the challenge of preventing the spread of HIV – the virus that causes AIDS – and addressing the complex needs of those afflicted by the virus. 

As the profile of those affected by the disease has evolved, many organizations have been prompted to adapt or design programs to meet the unique needs of different populations. Notably, service providers have worked to customize their approaches to better serve communities of color and hard-to-reach populations such as homeless people, those with mental disorders, workers in the sex industry and rural farmworkers.

Although men who have sex with men continue to represent the majority of people infected with HIV in the United States, the virus knows no boundaries. HIV infection is on the rise among women, children and intravenous drug users. In 2001, people of color represented 40 percent of all reported AIDS cases in California. 

“There is no single best approach to preventing or treating AIDS – what works in one community may be completely inappropriate in another,” said Gary Yates, president and CEO of The California Wellness Foundation . “Therefore, it is important for foundations to provide resources to organizations that have the cultural and programmatic competence to work effectively with people who are HIV-positive or at risk of contracting the virus.”

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