Progress Report - Autumn 2011 by DAP Health

Inside: Jackie Lee Houston, New Revivals in Palm Desert

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

In this 30th year since the first cases of AIDS were diagnosed in 1981, an estimated 1100+ people will gather at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs on Saturday, October 22 to help remind the world that

AIDS is not over. Since being founded in 1984, Desert AIDS Project has carried forward its missions of

Care • Prevention • Advocacy

for the tens of thousands that it has served. For almost as long, our supporters have been walking each year, to raise money for client services. If you’d like to join in on this scenic walk through the historic Palm Springs Movie Colony, your friends at Desert AIDS Project would love to welcome you. Click here to register for the Walk and raise additional money through pledges. For more information, call 760-969-4504 or email bklein@desertaidsproject.org.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

Remembering those who have done so much for so many Sadly, our community recently lost three people who deeply understood the importance of helping those less fortunate. Each of these shining stars gave freely of time, talent, and money to Desert AIDS Project. What an example they have set for all of us as we continue to help those who are struggling today:

Then

Betty Ford had a famous gift for shining a light on human frailties – but with the aim of dealing squarely with them. I like to think that’s what led her to serve, along with Anne and Kirk Douglas, as co-chair of our very first Palm Springs AIDS Walk in 1989.

Now That first AIDS Walk raised about $25,000 for client services – a huge boon to an organization that had a budget of $750,000 in 1989. Today, our annual budget is more than $12 million and, on October 22, at least a thousand people will help to raise money for essential client services at our 24th Palm Springs AIDS Walk.

Jackie Lee Houston seemed the ever-present Lady Bountiful to so many good causes throughout the Coachella Valley. Many of the gifts she made to us were in the names of others – friends and staff – who might have found making such charitable gifts a hardship on their own.

We will remember Jackie Lee as we continue our preparations for the 2012 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards – after all, no one loved a party more than her. We will miss seeing Jackie Lee with her beloved husband and life partner, Jim, seated prominently among the hundreds of others, gathered to help us gross over $1 million for D.A.P. client services. As we present the 2012 Partners for Life Award to Father Andrew Green, we will remember when we honored the Houstons with the same award at the 2007 gala.

Guy Lawson was tireless, beginning in 1994, at twisting arms for donations of resources necessary to create the Special Care Unit at Desert Hospital (now Desert Regional Medical Center) and training its volunteers. For many years, this 18-room, home-like AIDS ward provided a one-of-a-kind resource for our friends and family members living with the disease.

We are reminded of Guy every day by the Ed Doran Care Coordination Program at D.A.P., which he made possible with a $220,000 gift from the estate of his fellow volunteer on the Special Care Unit. Today, our partnership with Desert Regional is invaluable to us and we are happy to be honoring Karolee Sowle, their CEO and a member of our board of directors, with our 100 WOMEN Award at the 2012 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards.

The community service of Betty Ford, Jackie Lee Houston, and Guy Lawson was only one part of the incredible, full lives that each of them led. The First Lady that we claimed locally, lent her name to the world-famous Betty Ford Center for overcoming addictions. Jackie Lee Houston was one of only two women to own a TV station in the U.S. Guy Lawson had a brilliant career as “hairdresser to the stars” in Hollywood for many years before moving to the desert and taking up a new life as tireless volunteer.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

We wish heart-felt condolences to the Fords, to Jim Houston and the rest of the Houston family, and to Guy’s family and his partner of 42 years, Dick Taylor, who also served D.A.P. in a number of roles over many years. The spirits of each of these amazing role models will continue to inspire us at Desert AIDS Project.

t Be

e eL

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Until there’s a cure...

David Brinkman CEO, Desert AIDS Project

May we honor their life’s work by continuing our own commitments to care for our fellow community members who struggle to live with HIV/AIDS. Together, we can continue to change lives.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

It was a happy mob scene at the new Revivals store in the Palm Desert Costco Center, just off the Monterey exit of the I-10 freeway at 72-750 Dinah Shore Drive, on Wednesday, September 21. Replacing the Palm Desert store on Highway 111, this new store is the largest of all the Revivals stores, which also includes locations in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and San Diego. The new store’s 20,000 square feet of sales floor is divided into: • “The value-priced section” offers a full range of donated merchandise and one-of-a-kind finds for treasure hunters. • “The consignment section” offers furniture, artwork, fine crystal, china, silver, and other high-end, pre-owned items. • “The new merchandise section” is perfect for the buyer who wants brand-new items at lower prices. The new Revivals Palm Desert store is the exclusive Coachella Valley dealer for the new Michael Amini furniture line, called “Hollywood Swank,” designed by Jane Seymour. Store hours are Monday – Saturday 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM with Sunday hours from 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM. For further details, please call the store at 760-992-0499.

Maybe it’s their dedication to offering the broadest selection of merchandise and delivering high value at low prices that has earned Revivals its “Best of the Valley” designation by local voters for both 2010 and 2011. This chain of retail stores is a significant revenue contributor to D.A.P. ’s $12.3 million annual budget.

Now, billboards along the I-10 freeway will encourage people to “Find It Here” at the new Palm Desert store location. They are part of a new advertising campaign for Revivals that also includes print, radio, and TV.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

Revivals Hillcrest was proud to support Mama’s Kitchen at their Bourbon Street wine tasting event on Thursday, August 18 (left to right) Thomas Kwan, event chair and Mama’s Kitchen board member; Alberto Cortés, Executive Director of Mama’s Kitchen; Bryan Sypherd, Revivals Hillcrest Store Manager; Mario Ortega, Revivals Hillcrest Assistant Store Manager; David Brinkman, CEO of Desert AIDS Project

STORE LOCATIONS Revivals Gallery

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #22 760-318-1892

Palm Springs

611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite #9 760-318-6491

Cathedral City 68401 Highway 111 760-969-5747

Palm Desert

72-750 Dinah Shore Drive (in the Palm Desert Costco Center) 760-992-0499

San Diego/Hillcrest 1644 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92103 619-497-1000 619-299-1234 FAX

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

Time Warp MidSummer Mixer More popular every year, this year’s “Rocky Horror” themed mixer attracted 600-plus Frankenfurters, Magentas, and assorted costumed revelers to the ACE Hotel & Swim Club. The mixer raised more than $20,000 for client services at D.A.P. A special thanks to Tuesday Night Supper Club, which brought more than 150 attendees!

Dancing with the Desert Stars It was a “throw down on the dance floor” at the Palm Springs Convention Center when four local men and four women showed the crowd their best moves, all on behalf of D.A.P. client services. Each was teamed with a professional partner for a compulsory waltz and a dance routine of their choice. Congratulations to Ron Duran, who showed all of us just how bright the stars can REALLY shine here in our desert!

Les Dames du Soleil Those dizzy Dames and their hunky Dudes will be bringing their signature show back to the Renaissance Hotel at 6:00 PM on Sunday, October 9. Tickets are SOLD OUT for the event which is sure to be a show-stopper!

Alexander Productions :: Bank of America :: The Bottom Line Brighthaus Marketing :: City of Palm Springs :: Compete Magazine Desert Regional Medical Center :: Diageo :: East Meets West Catering Eisenhower Medical Center :: FIAT Palm Springs :: Integrated Wealth Management

THANKS TO EVENT SP

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

This is our 24th Walk! Register now to raise funds – you might even win special incentives, including prizes like a Kindle or an iPad 2, donated by Brighthaus Marketing! A special thanks to Walgreens for their Red Ribbon in-store promotion throughout the month of September. Visit their booth, as well as dozens of others at our Health & Wellness Festival.

Make sure to save the date for this highlight of the desert social season, which typically attracts 1,400 or more to the Palm Springs Convention Center. We’ll honor local leaders Karolee Sowle, CEO of Desert Regional Medical Center, and Father Andrew Green, rector of St. Paul in the Desert – as well as Peter Gallagher for his contributions to charitable organizations like The Actors Fund and Hydeia Broadbent, an AIDS activist since the age of 12. If you’re interested in being a sponsor or advertising at the gala, we’d love to include you in this not-to-be-missed event!

O ALL OUR PONSORS!

ITEX in the Desert Empire :: Kaiser Permanente Koffi :: LIVE Magazine LULU California Bistro :: Renaissance Hotel :: Savoury’s Catering :: SKINN Stephen Boyd Design :: Studio M Salon and Spa :: Toyota of the Desert Union Bank :: Walgreens :: Wells Fargo

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

MEETS ITS MISSIONS BY PROVIDING:

CARE

❒❒ Medical care at clinics in Palm Springs and San Bernardino ❒❒ Dental Care at Riverside County’s only HIV-specialty dental clinic in Palm Springs ❒❒ Nurse/social worker home health care services ❒❒ Case management in Palm Springs & Indio ❒❒ Social services including: ❒❒ Food ❒❒ Housing ❒❒ Transportation ❒❒ Community Center with education social programs, a computer lab, and much more ❒❒ Wellness programs, including yoga and eastern medicine alternatives ❒❒ Individual and group mental health services, including substance abuse counseling

❒❒ In-house lab services, pharmacy, and County benefits counselors

PREVENTION

❒❒ Free and confidential HIV testing, five days a week, in convenient locations community-wide ❒❒ Risk-reduction with newly diagnosed to reduce the spread of HIV

ADVOCACY

❒❒ AIDS drugs and medical assistance through on-site County benefits counselors ❒❒ Client Advocacy Committee

State budget protest when $85 million in AIDS funding was lost statewide

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

2011 Red Carpet

Actor Michael Weatherly with gala co-chairs Barbara Keller and Jim Casey

Award Sponsor Annette Bloch with David Brinkman, CEO of D.A.P.

Beauty queens ... and George Hamilton

RENT cast members perform

Pauley Perrette, 2011 Arts & Activism Award winner

Barry Manilow is named Silver Anniversary Community Service Award winner

Jamie Kabler and Award Sponsor Helene Galen

Liza Minnelli, 2007 Arts & Activism Award winner

Four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

We strive to offer the best HIV/AIDS care The Wells Fargo HIV Health Center at our main campus at 1695 N. Sunrise Way in Palm Springs is the only clinic in an 11,250 square mile area offering primary medical care in combination with specialty HIV medical and social services. Click on the links below to learn more: •The first and only HIV-specialty dental clinic in Riverside County •An 80-unit low-income, special-needs housing complex •Case management •Labcorp for blood work •Walgreens pharmacy •Social services assistance for food, housing, transportation, home health, etc. •County benefits specialists for ADAP and MISP •Client Community Center •Mental health and substance abuse counseling, support groups, and wellness •Desert Legal Aid for assistance with civil law issues •Palm Springs Family Care Center across our driveway for additional services •And much more!

We provide a Medical Home for D.A.P. clients D.A.P. is certified as a “medical home” and awarded a three-year term of distinction by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. Functioning as a medical home means that we offer each of our clients a team, headed by a medical provider who is assisted by a medical case manager and a care coordinator. The overall goal is enhancing access to a complete set of services for holistic care that might not be possible through the traditional physician-patient system. When we recognized that HIV/AIDS medical care was being underserved in San Bernardino County, D.A.P. opened a new clinic within the H Street Clinic at 1329 North H Street in San Bernardino in March of 2011.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

Putting it all together Our clinics are overseen by Joy Hamilton, MD, Director of Clinical Services, who currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for D.A.P. ’s Board of Directors. Dr. Hamilton sees patients as a part-time physiatrist, specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She previously served as Director of Occupational Medicine at Eisenhower Medical Associates, in addition to running her own private practice.

Dr. Shubha Kerkar is an American Academy of HIV Medicine Specialist and heads one of the client care teams. She has been a Primary Care Physician at D.A.P. since 1991. Speaking English, Hindi, and Spanish, Dr. Kerkar also serves as an Infectious Disease consultant for both Desert Medical Group and Eisenhower Medical Center. Both Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Kerkar are members of D.A.P. ’s 100 WOMEN annual giving program, dedicated to serving the needs of women and children affected by HIV and AIDS.

As D.A.P. ’s staff psychiatrist, Dr. Richard Torban was recognized as one of America’s Top Psychiatrists for three years. He was also named one of “Coachella Valley’s Top Physicians” by Palm Springs Life in 2005. Dr. Torban was one of the founding members of D.A.P. ’s Partners for Life annual giving program. In addition, he also serves a Psychiatric Consultant for Shelter from the Storm and Benson House.

These medical providers are presently available on the following days at D.A.P. ’s Palm Springs and/or its San Bernardino clinics:

Shubha Kerkar, MD, AAHIVS, MACP Palm Springs – Mon & Wed

Richard Torban, MD Palm Springs – Mon & Wed for psychiatry

Ronald Hattis, MD, MPH San Bernardino – Tues

Wilfred Shiu, MD, AAHIVS San Bernardino – Wed & Thurs

Ashley Vo, MD, AAHIVS Palm Springs – Wed

Ann Dew, DO Palm Springs – Mon by appt. for OB-GYN Call ahead for availability

Kinji Hawthorne, MD, AAHIVS Palm Springs – Tues & Wed I. Jean Davis, PhD, PA, AAHIVS Palm Springs – M, T, Th, F San Bernardino – Wed Candace Green, FNP Palm Springs – Wed

For appointments, call 760-323-2118 (Palm Springs) or 909-266-6033 (San Bernardino)

But the future of health care for people living with HIV/AIDS is far from assured The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that everyone in the U.S. have health insurance beginning in 2014. Together with the announcement of a National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) in July 2010, important strides have been made in the fight to secure health care for some of the most vulnerable. Provisions in the health care reform law – including expansion of Medicaid – will undoubtedly improve access to HIV/AIDS medical care and other essential services. Even so, there are gaps and limitations in access to care RIGHT NOW that could significantly harm the health of people living with HIV and AIDS before 2014 arrives. We continue to advocate for our clients in every way we can – including diversifying our revenue streams for less reliance on government funding and lobbying our elected representatives to fight for continued HIV/AIDS funding. That’s because we hold to a set of Community Service Values that begins with:

Everyone in a community has a right to a decent quality of life. Please help us to continue realizing this essential objective. Whether you donate, volunteer, or advocate for those served by Desert AIDS Project, your help changes lives.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

Our New and Improved Website!

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

CARE

PREVENTION

ADVOCACY

Recently Desert AIDS Project launched a redesigned website providing several portals to our mission of Care • Prevention • Advocacy: Holistic HIV Care, Preventing HIV, and Being an AIDS Advocate. Potential clients, event goers, and donors can also find continually updated information they need. Supporters and clients of D.A.P. can stay informed about the organization’s accomplishments, events, and HIV/AIDS issues with just a click of a button. And now, a mobile version of the website (below) helps D.A.P. supporters, clients, and at-risk populations access us on-the-go.

Visit the new www.desertaidsproject.org and share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

We couldn’t do it w Our dedicated volunteers Few organizations have a more satisfying tradition of volunteer support than Desert AIDS Project. In fact, we were founded in 1984 as an all-volunteer response to the still-mysterious epidemic whose first diagnoses had been made only three years before. Today, we have a corps of more than 450 active volunteers. Some of these men and women lend a helping hand at our fundraising events while others go through extensive training to become volunteer HIV testers or counselors. Still more help out in our offices and are essential to the smooth operation of our programs and services. And, of course, our Revivals stores are staffed daily by dozens of volunteers that make possible this important source of revenue. Here are just a few we’d like to give a special shout-out for their selfless gift of their time and talents:

Louis Barbo 13,000 hours!! Volunteering for eight years – mainly at various Revivals stores but also at many of our fundraising events – Louis has set the bar at an all-time new high of 13,000 hours. He claims to be retired but over just the last 12 months, Louis has given us 1,800 hours, while also volunteering at Cabot’s Museum in Desert Hot Springs. We gotta say, we appreciate the way Louis does retirement!

Dimitri Halkidis Volunteer Photographer Extraordinaire! Dimitri’s images have appeared on the covers of The New York Daily News, US, People, Hello Magazine UK, Zoom, American Photographer, and more. Covering high profile film premieres, political events, and the Sundance Film Festival, his portfolio includes Jack Nicholson, Sarah Jessica Parker, George Clooney, Sharon Stone – and Desert AIDS Project!! Drop in to Gallery 446 at 446 S. Indian Canyon and see his amazing work.

Julian diCiurcio 6,000 hours For nearly 12 years now, you might see Julian just about anywhere that D.A.P. is. One day he might be a volunteer receptionist in our lobby, the next he might be greeting guests at a D.A.P. fundraiser, and a couple of days later he might be sorting clothing for sale at Revivals. If that wasn’t enough, Julian has been with D.A.P.’s Care Team “buddy” program since its earliest days. Julian seems to be doing retirement just like Louis …

Find out more about the variety of volunteering opportunities at Desert AIDS Project, then apply online or download, print and mail your volunteer application.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

without your help!! Those providing discounted client services When the medical providers at our clinics must refer clients to others for services, it’s nice to know that some of them are going the extra mile to help those who are often in disadvantaged circumstances: Dr. Maja Reutschi is a plastic surgeon who performs Sculptra injection on qualifying D.A.P. clients. The medication is provided at no charge to the clients through a patient assistance program and Dr. Reutschi performs the procedure at a significantly reduced rate. Sculptra injections are used to treat facial fat loss – clinically known as lipoatrophy (facial wasting) – a common side effect for people living with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Hilda Chalgujian is a neuropsychologist who performs neurocognitive testing on qualifying D.A.P. clients. This testing compliments D.A.P. ’s Telemedicine Program where clients are evaluated by a neurologist. Several types of neurobehavioral disorders can occur in people living with HIV/AIDS, including associated cognitive/motor complex (HACM), associated dementia complex (HADC), and associated minor cognitive/motor disorder (MCMD).

Our devoted donors It’s no surprise that, in the continuing wake of the recent economic downturn, increased need for services among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in our community would become more painfully obvious on all fronts. At our annual Partners for Life cocktail reception in late April, we mentioned the dramatic increase in the demand for specific D.A.P. services this year: • 99% increase in demand for housing services • 57% increase in the number of clients at our dental clinic, as well as a 118% increase in the total number of dental clinic visits • 63% increase in the number of clients accessing mental health services • 8% increase in clients accessing our outpatient and ambulatory services Cumulatively, meeting the increased demand for Desert AIDS Project client services in all areas was costing us an additional $264,000 over previous years. When we “put out the ask” for increased donations to help meet these increases, here are just a couple of the responses we received: d an o s v h Ru ac el e L a h v ic Ste

rd pa rdy e h u tS P et uce r r Br Ba nd a

“Doubling our yearly donation to Desert AIDS Project was our way of ensuring that its vital work continues. We would urge all donors to consider an increase in their donations.”

“We believe that now, more than ever, the fight against HIV/ AIDS requires increased efforts to promote community participation and commitment. It’s clear that we’re at a crossroads and that resources are urgently needed.”

Thank you to these and other members of our Partners for Life and 100 WOMEN annual giving programs who helped us fund the expense of this increased need! But please remember, donations of any size are always appreciated by Desert AIDS Project.

Autumn 2011 Progress Report

Desert AIDS Project 1695 N. Sunrise Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.desertaidsproject.org