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Local Philanthropy Posts

Antibody and diagnostic testing availabl …

by Dustin Gruber

Antibody and diagnostic testing available   

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 16, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

Dr. Foltz In-Depth on NBC Palm Springs

Dr. Christopher Foltz talked with Gino LaMont  of NBC Palm Springs about his own journey with COVID-19 and the current race to develop treatments to save lives, harkening back to the worst days of the AIDS crisis.

Also remembered from that terrible time was the outdated U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation that still prevents gay men from donating blood.

Dr. Foltz shared his story about being turned down for donating blood to a potentially lifesaving plasma study. Gino said he cannot believe the ban is still in effect, and neither can we.

DAP In the News

Clients Increase at COVID-19 Triage Clinic

The rise in people seeking services from our COVID-19 Triage Clinic isn’t stopping. We saw about 40 clients daily this week, as testing was given to asymptomatic patients and those displaying symptoms. Our staff continues to make sure each patient knows about the behavioral and primary care they can access at DAP, not to mention more.

We’ve moved testing inside the COVID-19 Triage Clinic so that we can protect our patients and staff from the desert heat as temperatures begin to rise.

Donation trucks rolling again, drop-offs resume at all Revivals

We're getting ready to roll again - Schedule your curbside donation pick-up or enjoy contact-free donation drop-off at one of our three stores.

We opened our donation drop-off location in Palm Springs last week and will open donation drop-off sites at our Cathedral City and Palm Desert stores on May 18.

DONATE THIS WEEKEND IN PALM SPRINGS: Donation drop-off hours are Monday thru Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and on Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm -and we'll see you at our donation centers in Palm Desert and Cathedral City starting Monday.

Schedule A Pick-Up

You have a unique opportunity during this pandemic to help fund comprehensive care at Desert AIDS Project.  Just by donating the things you no longer need.  Your gently used housewares, clothing, and furniture will fund comprehensive care at DAP - care that includes primary care, therapy, COVID-19 testing, STI testing, HIV specialty care, and so much more. 

We provide a contact-free drop or pick-up off allowing safe social distancing and our driver and staff continue to wear masks. 

If you are dropping donations off at our stores;

Receipts will be available should you need one for your records.

Voices of Hope – June 5 at 7pm

We’ve always believed in joining people together for entertainment and community, and bringing it online is part of the new normal. On June 5 we’re reminding everyone that Together, We Thrive, with a one-hour star-studded streaming event that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats with top entertainment. Kristin Chenoweth, Betty Buckley are among the show’s stars. Voices of Hope will be hosted by Scott Nevins.

Advocacy at home for the chance to defea …

by Dustin Gruber

Advocacy at home for the chance to defeat a pandemic

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 9, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

DAP to FDA: Let Gay Men Donate Blood Now

This week we called upon the FDA to drop its archaic ban on gay blood donation. Recently Dr. Christopher Foltz fully recovered from COVID-19 himself, only to be blocked from participating in a groundbreaking plasma study that could help save his patients.

Since this crisis began, national supplies of blood are dangerously low and we need everyone to be able to donate. DAP views this ban as a human rights violation. No one should be denied from contributing to the wellbeing of their community in a time of crisis, including gay men.

Those suffering from COVID-19 whose lives could be saved from convalescent plasma transfusion therapy and others needing regular blood transfusions deserve to have supplies ready. Lifting this ban will save lives.

Read more about Dr. Foltz’s journey with COVID-19 and the plasma study here.

Asymptomatic COVID-19 Testing

We announced even greater access to health by opening up asymptomatic testing to our community for COVID-19, and the response has been incredible. In just one day, our Patient Registration team scheduled 140 appointments, and more than half of them are newly enrolled patients at DAP now, able to access primary and behavioral healthcare plus much more.

Our order for 2,500 additional asymptomatic COVID-19 testing kits might be delayed due to supply chain issues. We have plenty of tests to accommodate appointments we’ve already set through May 15 for asymptomatic testing.  We are keeping in close contact with our supplier and will keep the community updated.

One Call services brought clients into care

Callers accessed One Call services by calling 760-992-0426, and they cut the amount of time it took to get enrolled in insurance or Medi-Cal through Covered California and into care at DAP by about two-thirds.

“When accessing services becomes difficult, people are more likely to give up on participating in their own health,” said C.J. Tobe, director of Community Health. “We’re not going to lose people in this community because we failed to keep them connected.” 

We also made sure that our Spanish speaking residents of the valley got this important information by working with Univision. 

Outreaching about therapy in a pandemic

Dr. Jill Gover wrote a Valley Voice column for The Desert Sun yesterday about how much your mental health matters during this health crisis, and she offered hope for building ways of coping.  You can read the column in its entirety by clicking here.

Because of you ... Desert AIDS Project's homebound and immunosuppressed patients will continue receiving care packages of nutritious meals and toiletries, DAP's frontline clinicians remain safe with proper PPE, and neighbors will be tested and treated for symptoms of COVID-19.

Together, we raised $40,000 matched by Mark Hamilton & Juan Francisco for a total of $60,000. You ordered breakfast, lunch, and dinner from local restaurants. You rallied with others all across the Valley, and the world, to ensure we all rally back stronger from the challenges of the pandemic.
WE ARE GRATEFUL.

Celebrating and supporting our community …

by Dustin Gruber

Celebrating and supporting our community during COVID-19

Weekend Wrap Message-Saturday, May 2, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

Getting Insurance and Care with DAP -- in just One Call

Starting this week, we’ve launched a service that requires just one telephone call to enroll in health insurance or Medi-Cal, as well as register for medical and behavioral healthcare at DAP.

Large numbers of people in our Valley are losing their jobs and insurance. To respond, DAP team members are shepherding callers through the insurance enrollment process - offering access to care that strengthens physical and mental resiliency.

Our team of Infectious Disease experts is on the cutting edge of the ever-changing nature of this pandemic and how to protect and treat members of our community best. I want to share feedback that shines a light on the difference our courageous healthcare workers are making.

“I just got home and the first thing I wanted to do was write you a thank you note.  I am sure this is a difficult period for everyone connected with healthcare but you are definitely a cut above. Why?  I could not get tested for COVID at local clinics and I tried twice.  You not only tested me but had me admitted to the hospital all in the same day.  Because of my serious health issues, I fear to think what might have happened to me if I had waited one day more.  For the record, I believe you saved my life and for this I am so grateful….”

Thank You For Vital PPE Donations

When we asked the community to donate badly needed PPE, we were once again shown the generous spirit that the Coachella Valley is famous for.

So far, we have received 10,000 individual pieces of PPE, such as a masks, shoe covers, and face shields. This amount of giving has touched us deeply, and it will go a long way. Our team in the COVID-19 Clinic is increasing the numbers of patients it sees and innovating ways of accommodating more.

As we brace for the continuation of this health crisis, we will continue to need donated PPE to protect our frontline healthcare workers and their patients.

#GivingTuesdayNow Next Week on May 5 

You can hear Joe Smith on NBC Palm Springs explain a little bit about the difference this year with Giving Tuesday—he will be talking to Steven Henke more in-depth this Tuesday on air.

Millions of us will be standing up, helping out, giving back, and healing on #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving planned for May 5, 2020. This people-powered event brings together humans around the world for a day of action, giving and community building.

Click Here to Learn More About How You Can Make an Impact and Give Today

Desert AIDS Project's Giving Tuesday Now efforts start right now. While DAP faces its own financial challenges related to COVID-19, we are committed to ensuring our community emerges from the pandemic stronger than ever.

Please help make a difference between now and May 5th!

Take Out. Give Back
The economic impact on our restaurant community has been especially harsh and the stimulus is not trickling down to many. Over the years, they have generated millions of dollars for our valley's causes, including DAP, so we ask you to TAKE OUT. GIVE BACK. You can help by choosing a restaurant for take-out/delivery. Let's turn the tables and support our restaurant community with breakfast, lunch, and dinner orders. 100% of your receipt goes to the restaurants. Contact them directly to place your order. For a full list of restaurants open, please visit: https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/stay-in-take-out/

Help DAP Feed Our Most Vulnerable Clients 
Many of DAP's most vulnerable clients are over 65 and/or have fragile immune systems. We are keeping them safe by delivering packaged food, fresh produce, and toiletries to their homes.

For $40.00 per person, we are able to deliver this life-sustaining nutrition. If you’re in a position to help, please consider how many of our patients you can feed. https://www.daphealth.org/givingtuesdaynow/

We would greatly appreciate your support for all of these efforts in our COVID-19 Emergency Response.  

With gratitude and the hope that you too are finding your silver linings.

David Brinkman

DAP Food Program Nourished With Grant fr …

by Dustin Gruber

DAP Food Program Nourished With Grant from Bank Of America

Palm Springs, CA – April 24, 2020 – As the Coronavirus creates unprecedented demand and challenges for our services, Desert AIDS Project (DAP) is deeply grateful for a $20,000 grant from Bank of America to help us provide continuous access to nutrition for our clients as we respond to COVID-19. This grant will help ensure our at-risk clients will continue receiving fresh produce and grocery vouchers from our Nutrition Program.

At a time when sources of financial support to fund healthy staples and fresh produce have dried up or remained flat due to the virus, this grant from Bank of America greatly supports DAP’s commitment to providing hunger relief in our community – providing approximately 30,000 meals to clients of DAP who are eligible for food distribution and grocery vouchers.

DAP was awarded this grant because it is working on the frontlines of the pandemic in our community, and the array of wrap-around services DAP offers its clients.

“DAP is thankful to Bank of America for supporting our programs that build community health through good nutrition in this crisis,” said Zayda Welden, director of Social Services. “Uninterrupted access to fresh produce and groceries means that our clients who are most at-risk can worry less about the basics, thanks to this kind help.”

Bank of America recently announced a $100 million commitment in support of communities facing unprecedented challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Now more than ever, we need to take care of one another. Thanks to the responsive leadership of incredible Coachella Valley nonprofits like Desert AIDS Project, we can together help address this health and humanitarian crisis,” said Al Arguello, Inland Empire market president, Bank of America.

By providing a comprehensive continuum of healthcare and social services, including Nutrition Services to support retention in care and adherence to medical treatment, DAP keeps clients connected to medical care, despite existing barriers or challenges that may arise.

Hurdles Accessing Enough Food

Food Insecurity is an economic or social indicator of the health of the community with a direct correlation to poverty levels and poor health outcomes. At least 50% of our clients receive Supplementary Security Income, based on disability, which renders them ineligible for the CalFresh food "stamp" program. Other clients who are eligible for Cal-Fresh receive $16-$30 per month; amounts that are insufficient to fully alleviate food insecurity. Since DAP's founding, food assistance has been a vital component of our integrated approach to service delivery, based on the Chronic Care Model, a system of care that emphasizes patient self-management skills, and the Patient-Centered Medical Home model, which facilitates partnerships between patients and their healthcare providers.

About Our Clients

DAP serves vulnerable low-Income persons and families living below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level inclusive of all races, ethnicities, gender orientation, and sexual identity, in addition to low-income people living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Over one-third of DAP's patients/clients who are living with HIV are aged 50 years and older. DAP is well aware of the needs of clients and patients confronted by numerous complications of surviving long-term with HIV, including subsisting on fixed incomes.

About Desert AIDS Project

Desert AIDS Project (DAP) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering DAP Total Care – a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services. DAP’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, offers STI testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and HCV testing. DAP’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide free HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future. DAP has earned a “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator for the twelfth consecutive year – landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that we exceed industry standards in terms of our financial health, accountability, and transparency.

Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.thedockclinic.org, and www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.

Silver Linings Found in the New Normal

by Dustin Gruber

Silver Linings Found in the New Normal

Weekend Wrap Message- Saturday, April 25, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

When a Unicorn arrives holding a sign of support for DAP’s healthcare workers, you know it's a signal to look for the silver linings in our 'new normal'.

Twice weekly, our Emergency Response Team reviews the accomplishments of each DAP department.  Working as a unified response, we are innovating to find new ways to beat COVID-19.

  • As isolation and loneliness increases for our home-bound clients, Zoom is being used by our Social Services, Health Center and Behavioral Health Teams to support and care for people.
  • When we suspended the DAP Farmers Market, for safety reasons, we upped visits from the mobile pantry to provide fresh produce to our clients and any member of the community.
  • Hundreds of people are coming to receive care at our COVID-19 Triage Clinic - for many it's their first time at DAP. For those who do not have a doctor and/or insurance, many, after experiencing our whole-person approach, are enrolling in DAP for their ongoing healthcare. 

Expansion: Opening our Doors Wider

To increase access during this crisis, the DAP Behavioral Health Clinic opened up Virtual Visit counseling to anyone who is appropriate for outpatient therapy. People no longer need to be a current patient of DAP’s Health Center to receive this care.

Like nutrients for our bodies, therapy builds resiliency to cope with multiple stressors. By accessing therapy from DAP licensed clinical psychologists, clients develop tools for living that improve the quality of their lives. 

Expansion: Essential Therapy from Wherever You Are

Our Behavioral Health Team and our IT Dept. developed new ways to deliver counseling by offering in-person psychological services, as well as, Virtual Visits and phone visits via a patient’s laptop, tablet, or smartphone. 

“Therapy is a gift we give ourselves to promote our own well-being and wellness in times of stress,” Dr. Jill Gover, Manager of DAP Behavioral Health.

Rapid Antibody Test Added to DAP's Protocol at COVID-19 Clinic

We added rapid antibody testing at our COVID-19 Triage Clinic. Used in conjunction with swab diagnostic testing, the combination provides more thorough information to our clinicians to provide patients with the individualized care they need.

The rapid test can identify people with past infection, as well as those in the mid-to-late stages of the disease.  Anyone who thinks they might be suffering from COVID-19 can call (760) 992-0407 for information and the opportunity to talk to a DAP clinician, who will determine if coming to DAP is the next best step.

“Speed is always important in a pandemic,” said Dr. Christopher Foltz, Director of the COVID-19 Clinic. “Rapid test results in 10 mins. are definitely beneficial.”

Click here to read our full Press Release Here 

DAP In the News

DAP - We're Here For You

DAP believes access to healthcare is critical for every member of our community.  And yet, we know many lack insurance, a primary care doctor, or the ability to schedule an appointment with a therapist.  

This week DAP launched a new campaign leveraging low-cost tactics which include social media, our own digital billboard on the corner of Sunrise and Vista Chino, donated space in print publications, and radio PSA's courtesy of Alpha Media.

The campaign features our doctors and therapists delivering important messages for community members.

  • We are Here for You
  • We Care For You
  • Welcoming New Primary and Behavioral Health Patients
  • Therapy and Psychotherapy Available for Our Community 
  • Doctors Make Virtual House Calls
  • The Future of Healthcare Has Arrived with Patient-Centered Model of Care and Virtual Visits. 

If you or someone you know needs care. Call (760) 323-2118 to schedule your first appointment or email [email protected]. 

#GivingTuesdayNow Save The Date 

We sent out our first save the date email for #GivingTuesdayNow, a global day of giving, which is planned for May 5, 2020. It's a people-powered event that brings together organizations and individuals around the world for a day of action, giving and community building. Millions of us will be standing up, helping out, giving back, and healing. 

Learn More About How You Can Make an Impact and Give Today

Desert AIDS Project's Giving Tuesday Now efforts start right now. While DAP faces its own financial challenges related to COVID-19, we are committed to ensuring our community emerges from the pandemic stronger than ever.

FOOD is LOVE!  Please help make a difference between now and May 5th!

Take Out. Give Back
The economic impact on our restaurant community has been especially harsh and the stimulus is not trickling down to many. Over the years, they have generated millions of dollars for our valley's causes, including DAP, so we ask you to TAKE OUT. GIVE BACK. You can help by choosing a restaurant for take-out/delivery. Let's turn the tables and support our restaurant community with breakfast, lunch, and dinner orders. 100% of your receipt goes to the restaurants. Contact them directly to place your order. For a full list of restaurants open, please visit: https://www.visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/stay-in-take-out/

Help DAP Feed Our Most Vulnerable Clients 
Many of DAP's most vulnerable clients are over 65 and/or have fragile immune systems. We are keeping them safe by delivering packaged food, fresh produce, and toiletries to their homes.

For $40.00 per person, we are able to deliver this life-sustaining nutrition. If you’re in a position to help, please consider how many of our patients you can feed.  

PPE Still Needed

DAP still needs support to keep our nurses and doctors safe with proper PPE as they test and treat those in our community exhibiting symptoms of Coronavirus. 

We would greatly appreciate your support for all of these efforts in our COVID-19 Emergency Response.  

With gratitude and the hope that you too are finding your silver linings.

David Brinkman

Weekend Wrap Message – Saturday, A …

by Dustin Gruber
DAP Logo Weekend Wrap

DAP's Courage and Creativity During COVID 

Weekend Wrap Message- Saturday, April 18, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

Creatively and courageously, together we are providing continuous care and growing our COVID-19 Triage Clinic resulting in the reduction of lives lost. This week I’d like to showcase innovations to reach at-risk populations, despite the challenges of social distancing.

Dental Services on the Frontline

The DAP Dental Team is critical to our frontline response.  Although dental practices in California have suspended routine care to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, our dedicated Dental Team is committed to the health of our patients and is available for urgent and emergency care. DAP dental patients who have a dental emergency should call 760-992-0460.

Sex During a Pandemic

A lesson learned from the AIDS pandemic is that people yearn to feel connected, especially during times of uncertainty.  Shaming people for having sex didn’t work in the 80s, and it is not an effective strategy now.  I am not condoning hooking up during this pandemic, but I am a realist and DAP is responding:

  1. Mobile Testing Van

DAP is expanding its efforts to fight the HIV, STI and HCV epidemics amid the COVID-19 crisis. We doubled our capacity by operating our mobile testing van in the DAP parking lot and operating The Dock in our Green Clinic.  Both sites provide access to HIV, HCV and STI testing and treatment, plus PrEP and PEP. Both sites are also a direct way to get linked into primary medical and behavioral healthcare.

  1. Free at Home HIV Test Kits For Highest Risk Clients

Without ongoing testing, we cannot end HIV in the Coachella Valley.  If you normally receive HIV testing at DAP and you have self-quarantined, and want to self-test at home, call April Cruz, Diagnostic Testing and Outreach Manager at (760) 656-8425.

For people in residential recovery or who are incarcerated, access to HIV testing stopped. DAP’s Community Health Department is responding by combing HIV education via Zoom and the provision of self-HIV test kits. Anyone testing positive will receive ongoing support and medical care at DAP or through referrals.

COVID-19 Triage Clinic

As of Friday, our clinicians tested 250 people for COVID-19. We continue seeing a 10-to-11 percent positivity rate. Our healthcare workers monitor patients who test positive via telemedicine, and our staff and volunteers provide food and transportation as needed.

Drive-Up Services

Our first week offering Drive-Up services for possible COVID-19 related symptoms allowed us to: 1) test more people and 2) freed up much needed space inside our Triage Clinic to treat our highest risk patients.

As we innovate to create additional services at DAP our care for our community continues.  A successful response takes all of us.  I thank you for your partnership.    

Local Foundations Support DAP

We are grateful to Desert Healthcare District & Foundation for funding COVID-19 rapid test kits, and supporting the provision of healthcare to 7,000 DAP clients, regardless of their HIV status. Grants totaling $800,000 will be divided between Borrego Health, Clinicas de Salud Del Pueblo and DAP.

The Auen Foundation is benevolently backing our frontline response. Through a $50,000 grant, The Auen Foundation is helping to underwrite to costs of our COVID-19 Triage Clinic personnel and medical supplies.   

Weekend Wrap Message – Saturday, A …

by Dustin Gruber
DAP Logo Weekend Wrap

Weekend Wrap Message - Saturday, April 11, From David Brinkman, Desert AIDS Project CEO

This week Desert AIDS Project refocused and expanded healthcare access. I could not be prouder of our team and their work to ensure everyone in our valley has the opportunity to receive care.

As of Friday, our COVID-19 Triage Clinic conducted over 200 tests with an eleven percent positivity rate. But our care doesn't end with a test. Each person receives a personal call and when needed is provided access to ongoing medical care, a therapist, support groups and food delivered to their doors.

DAP launched Drive-Up Testing outside our COVID-19 Triage Clinic. With this expansion:

  • DAP can double the number of people served each day;
  • divert patients, who are not seriously ill, from emergency departments;
  • and conserve space inside our COVID-19 Triage Clinic for people whose symptoms are more severe.

An appointment is required for Drive-Up Testing. Call our COVID-19 hotline at (760) 992-0407 to speak with a DAP healthcare worker. Getting respiratory illness symptoms checked by a clinician is important, especially a dry cough or a fever of 100.4 or higher.

“These are the folks who have been told to stay home with their symptoms,” said Dr. Christopher Foltz, leader of the COVID-19 Triage Clinic at DAP. “We don’t want to miss anyone.”

Accessing Primary, Behavioral & Sexual Health:

  • Our Blue Clinic and Green Clinic teams spent the week reaching out to DAP patients to ensure a continuum of primary care, virtually or in person.120 primary care Virtual Visits were conducted in the last six days.
  • Our Behavioral Healthcare team used virtual health to respond to patients’ stress and anxiety, conducting 94 Behavioral Health Virtual Visits in the last six days.
  • Our Community Health team developed a strategy to use our mobile testing van to make sure no one experiences interrupted access to HIV and STI testing and treatment, or access to PrEP and PEP. Parked in the DAP back parking lot, we welcome walk-ins for these services, as well as follow-up services, utilizing our Get Tested mobile testing van. 

About Me Testing Positive:

And I decided to share my personal story about testing positive for the COVID-19 virus via The Desert Sun which published on Thursday, April 9. I followed up with NBC Palm Springs and Kitty Alvarado on Friday. 

Valley Voice:  DAP is responding to coronavirus for our Coachella Valley community 

I was tested for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus, at Desert AIDS Project’s COVID-19 Triage Clinic, and that test came back positive on March 29. My doctor recommended I get the test after I developed symptoms - cough and fatigue. I’m grateful to be recovering while working at home.

At first, I chose to keep this private because I did not want to take any focus away from the care team at DAP who are responding to this crisis and serving our patients.  

At this time, I am reflecting on the men and women who worked at DAP at the beginning of the AIDS pandemic. They could not have seen the future in the midst of the AIDS crisis. 

Then, like now, some are struggling with fear and fear can lead to inaction, depression, withdrawal, stigma, substance abuse, and eventually death. We know, because the founders of DAP taught us that fear has never been and will never be the solution.

I believe DAP’s founders would tell us today that we have a choice. We can chose to be fearful or hopeful and brave. We can believe that every moment of our life was preparing us for today. Because it was.  

The history of DAP provides a glimpse into the future.  Our history shows that we will dramatically decrease the loss of lives from COVID-19 in our community and we will prevent new infections. We will respond with compassion and we will rely on facts instead of fear in our response.  

It’s in the very DNA of Desert AIDS Project to respond quickly to public health crises using science and medicine to create a humanitarian response. We are using our tested roadmaps from the HIV and HCV epidemics to respond to COVID-19. Helping people survive epidemics in the Coachella Valley has been the core specialty of DAP for 35 years. With the largest infectious disease team of clinicians in this region of California, DAP offers expert medical care, anchored by a deep understanding of Coachella Valley epidemiology.

I truly believe the work we’re doing at DAP right now will be a case study for how to respond in a public health crisis for decades to come. As a team, and an organization, DAP is showing what is possible when we work together to change the course of this pandemic and help navigate our community through it.

DAP opened our COVID-19 Triage Clinic on March 16. The uninsured are never turned away. If you believe you might be symptomatic or need information about testing, please call our COVID-19 hotline at (760) 922-0407. 

This experience has reinforced my belief that no person in our valley should be without healthcare. If you or someone you know needs access to primary or behavioral health care, DAP is here for you.

Kristin Chenoweth to Headline Steve Chas …

by Dustin Gruber

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Steven Henke

[email protected]

(760) 656-8401

‘The Chase’ 2020 Honors Humanitarians Removing Roadblocks to Human Potential

PALM SPRINGS, CA- January 1, 2020 – Desert AIDS Project (DAP) has announced that Kristin Chenoweth will headline its 26th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards on February 8 where Hank Plante, Garry Kief and Ambassador Deborah L Birx, M.D. will be honored for their work in removing roadblocks to human potential.

Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth’s career spans film, television, voiceover and stage. In 2015, Chenoweth received a coveted star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009, she received an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in “Pushing Daisies”. In 1999, she won a Tony Award for “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and she was also nominated for her original role of Glinda the Good Witch in “Wicked” in 2004. Chenoweth has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and for a People’s Choice Award for her role on “Glee.”

Returning as co-chairs are Desert AIDS Project Board Members Kevin Bass, Patrick Jordan, and Lauri Kibby. Kibby recently shared the co-chairs vision. “This year’s Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards will focus on how Desert AIDS Project and the people who support the organization remove blocks to human potential,”she said. “The work we honor is deeply personal and about human well-being.”

Desert AIDS Project CEO, David Brinkman is expected to share DAP’s vision for the future during the event. “Desert AIDS Project’s story includes a long history of identifying and responding to epidemics,” he said. “We intend to pay forward what we’ve learned during our first 35 years by reaching more people and changing more lives. We have and continue to be a humanitarian organization which removes road-blocks to human potential.”

The last decade alone has seen DAP make substantial in-roads in addressing epidemics.

2010 2.7 million people worldwide were newly infected with HIV in 2010. DAP begins the decade focused on ending the epidemic.

2012 Annette Bloch donates $1 million to fund a cancer care center dedicated to specialized HIV-related cancer research, screenings, treatment and prevention.

2014 DAP launches Get Tested Coachella Valley as the nation’s first non-profit-led, region-wide HIV testing, prevention, education and linkage to care initiative.

2015 DAP launches The DOCK, a walk-in clinic that provides HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing, linkage to care and access to HIV preventative medication Pre-Exposure Prohylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).

2016 The DAP Hepatitis Center of Excellence opens to deliver comprehensive state-of-the-art expertise to manage, support and cure those afflicted with Hepatitis C.

2017 DAP opens Transgender Health Program offering gender-affirming services and care.

2018 DAP kicks off Vision 2020, a capital campaign which will result in the agency more than doubling its ability to provide patient-centered primary, HIV Specialty, Dental and Behavioral Health care to our community.

2019 Desert AIDS Project Celebrates 35 Years of Caring for our community.

How Desert AIDS Project Removes Roadblocks to Human Potential:

  • Medical Care- 7,000 clients call DAP their patient centered medical home, and about half do not have HIV. In the earliest days of the AIDS crisis, DAP discovered health outcomes for our HIV positive clients increased when we provided health care to their life partners and family members who were acting as caregivers. Today, DAP offers leading HIV specialty care as well as primary care for our community members not living with HIV. Because there is enough love in this valley to help everyone thrive and also prevent new cases of HIV.
  • Transgender Care- DAP is guiding more and more transgender, intersex, and gender diverse clients on their gender journeys. In a little over a year, DAP has seen its client enrollment quadruple for these services. Too many transgender individuals in the Inland Empire assume they won’t ever access stigma-free and competent care. At DAP they never have to worry.
  • Hepatitis Center of Excellence- 202 clients have been cured of Hepatitis C since 2017. DAP averages 9 weeks to cure clients, and never turns people away if they do not have insurance. HCV is a silent killer, but DAP’s advocacy is a lot louder.
  • Dental Care- Dental access is vital for good health, especially for people living with HIV. DAP’s dental clinic had 5,354 visits last year, and continues to add clients. A healthy mouth helps clients stay ahead of HIV, and everyone smile wider.
  • The DOCK-- $25 STI screening and treatment. Free Confidential HIV and HCV testing. PrEP and PEP navigators to onboard new clients and help access cost assistance. Because we won’t stop the spread of HIV and STIs in the Coachella Valley if we don’t make testing and treatment available to everyone.
  • Behavioral HealthCare—Psychiatrists, Psychologists and Psychotherapists. Coping with HIV and life can be overwhelming. DAP Behavioral Health clinicians help clients find hope. Because with the right support, we can get through almost any storm.
  • Social Services –Case managers make accessing healthcare and support services a reality for DAP clients. Transportation, food, housing, and enrolling for federal, state and local resources to cover care. In a complex healthcare system, DAP takes the worry out of obtaining and keeping care. 
  • Housing - DAP helps clients into permanent residences, and is developing more opportunities. Housing assistance is part of our prescription. Because access to medication is not enough to treat HIV—it also requires a place to live.
  • Back to Work—DAP’s back to work program has assisted over 200 clients re-enter the workforce when they were ready. This includes computer access, resume coaching, and job placement. DAP helps clients determine readiness for employment, and supports them throughout the process. Because having a job can be powerful medicine.
  • Client Wellness—A range of services, classes and support groups make DAP a community hub. Chair massage, yoga, tai chi, acupuncture and reiki. Because the AIDS crisis taught us that holistic health works. Strength training, art, sculpting and sewing classes. Because curiosity is healthy. Aging with HIV, addiction and recovery advocacy, and many other support groups. Because DAP understands that when a few people get together to support each other, an entire humanitarian movement can be born.

2020 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Honorees:

Hank Plante will receive the Arts & Activism Award, Garry Kief will receive the Partners for Life Award and Ambassador Deborah L Birx, M.D. will receive the Science & Medicine Award.  

Henry A. "Hank" Plante is an American television reporter and newspaper columnist. He is on-air at NBC Palm Springs and he is a member of the Editorial Board of Gannett's Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs. Winner of the George Foster Peabody Award and multiple Emmys, he covered California for three decades for TV stations in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He now writes occasional columns for newspapers in California, usually focusing on politics or gay and lesbian issues. One of the first openly gay TV reporters in the United States, Plante is the recipient of various honors from LGBTQ rights advocacy organizations and trade groups. In addition, Plante was featured in the documentary "5B" 5B (film), which was honored at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. The film is about the first AIDS ward in the nation, which Plante covered as a reporter. A native of Detroit, Plante worked in both radio and television journalism, including 25 years at KPIX-TV (CBS 5) in San Francisco, before retiring in April 2010. Before that, he worked in print journalism, including at The Washington Post. At KPIX-TV, he interviewed a range of national and state political figures, including five U.S. Presidents and numerous Governors, legislators and opinion makers from Richard Nixon to Al Gore, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Barack Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Brown and Hillary Clinton.

His experience includes reporting and anchoring at TV stations in various cities, including KHJ-TV in Los Angeles, KRIV in Houston, KMSP-TV in Minneapolis and WVEC-TV in Norfolk, Virginia. He also served as Assignment Editor at WTTG-TV in Washington, D.C., and as News Editor at WRC (NBC) Radio in Washington D.C. He began his career as a journalist in Washington, D.C. at the Sentinel Newspapers, where he was managing editor, and at The Washington Post, where he worked on the city desk.  His awards have included several local and national Emmys, as well as the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, in 1986, as part of CBS 5's "AIDS Lifeline" reporting team. He has also been awarded the Pioneer Award at the GLAAD Media Awards, and the James R. Harrison Award from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. He was also named "Reporter of the Year" by the Associated Press (APTRA'S "Chris Harris Award"). Hank was inducted into the Emmy Silver Circle by the National Television Academy, which honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to broadcasting. In addition, his work has been singled out for praise by The New York.

Garry Kief is a former DAP Board Member and currently serves on the boards of the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, Palm Springs International Film Festival, McCallum Theatre, and the Annenberg Theatre Counsel. In addition, Kief has served as National President and Chairman of the Trustees of his national fraternity – Sigma Phi Epsilon, raising money for programs and scholarships to support undergraduate men. Kief is President/CEO at Stiletto Entertainment Group and President of Barry Manilow Productions. He has produced ‘A Gift of Love’ for four years raising millions of dollars for local charities. Kief also oversees the Manilow Music Project which empowers underfunded school music programs to provide quality music education. By donating instruments and equipment and providing scholarships nationwide, it gives disadvantaged young people the opportunity to experience community, passion, and creativity through the gift of music.

Ambassador-at-Large, Deborah L. Birx, M.D., is the Coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy. Ambassador Birx is a world-renowned medical expert and leader in the field of HIV/AIDS. Her three-decade-long career has focused on HIV/AIDS immunology, vaccine research, and global health. As the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Birx oversees the implementation of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the largest commitment by any nation to combat a single disease in history, as well as all U.S. Government engagement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Serving as the U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, she aligns the U.S. Government’s diplomacy with foreign assistance programs that address global health challenges and accelerate progress toward: achieving an AIDS-free generation; ending preventable child and maternal deaths; and preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats.

In 1985, Ambassador Birx began her career with the Department of Defense (DoD) as a military-trained clinician in immunology, focusing on HIV/AIDS vaccine research. From 1985-1989, she served as an Assistant Chief of the Hospital Immunology Service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Through her professionalism and leadership in the field, she progressed to serve as the Director of the U.S. Military HIV Research Program (USMHRP) at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research from 1996-2005. Ambassador Birx helped lead one of the most influential HIV vaccine trials in history (known as RV 144 or the Thai trial), which provided the first supporting evidence of any vaccine’s potential effectiveness in preventing HIV infection. During this time, she also rose to the rank of Colonel, bringing together the Navy, Army, and Air Force in a new model of cooperation – increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the U.S. Military’s HIV/AIDS efforts through inter- and intra-agency collaboration. Then known as Colonel Birx, she was awarded two prestigious U.S. Meritorious Service Medals and the Legion of Merit Award for her groundbreaking research, leadership, and management skills during her tenure at DOD.

From 2005-2014, Ambassador Birx served successfully as the Director of CDC’s Division of Global HIV/AIDS (DGHA), which is part of the agency’s Center for Global Health. As DGHA Director, she utilized her leadership ability, superior technical skills, and infectious passion to achieve tremendous public health impact. She successfully led the implementation of CDC’s PEPFAR programs around the world and managed an annual budget of more than $1.5 billion. Ambassador Birx was responsible for all of the agency’s global HIV/AIDS activities, including providing oversight to more than 400 staff at headquarters, over 1,500 staff in the field, and more than 45 country and regional offices in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, and Latin America. Recognized for her distinguished and dedicated commitment to building local capacity and strengthening quality laboratory health services and systems in Africa, in 2011, Ambassador Birx received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the African Society for Laboratory Medicine. In 2014, CDC honored her leadership in advancing the agency’s HIV/AIDS response with the highly prestigious William C. Watson, Jr. Medal of Excellence.

Headline performer, Kristin Chenoweth is a passionate supporter of charities that dedicate their time and efforts to helping those in need. She formed a charity partnership with the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center (BAPAC) Foundation in her home state of Oklahoma. Chenoweth's accomplishments were honored by her hometown with BAPAC naming "The Kristin Chenoweth Theatre" in 2012. Partnering with the BAPAC in a labor of love, Kristin launched an annual Broadway Bootcamp in 2015, providing young Broadway hopefuls with the opportunity to take classes, hold performances and learn from top mentors in the entertainment industry including Kristin herself. In her lifelong mission to cultivate arts education across the globe, Chenoweth has also created “Places! The Kristin Chenoweth Tour Experience," a unique educational program for young singers that puts them right next to her performing on stage. Each concert in Chenoweth’s ongoing tour will feature local participants from higher education conservatories, universities, and colleges for the immersive educational experience.

Chenoweth recently released her latest album “For The Girls,” debuting at #3 on the Current Pop Albums chart and #11 on the Billboard Top Albums chart. The album is a heartfelt tribute to the great female singers throughout history, particularly some of Kristin’s heroes and friends. Guest artists include Ariana Grande, Dolly Parton, Jennifer Hudson and Reba McEntire. The album includes Chenoweth’s personally charged interpretations of classic songs identified with such iconic artists as Barbra Streisand, Lesley Gore, Linda Ronstadt, Dinah Washington, Dolly Parton and more.

2020 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Sponsors

PRODUCING: Harold Matzner, Walgreens

MAJOR: Elgart Aster & Paul Swerdlove, Desert Care Network, Desert Sun, Eisenhower Health, Grace Helen Spearman Foundation, Living Out, LULU California Bistro

STAR: Mark Adams, Steven Anders/The Elizabeth Firth Wade Endowment, Annette Bloch, Desert Oasis Healthcare, NBC Palm Springs, Saks Fifth Avenue

SUPPORTING: Blackbook, Jim Burba & Bob Hayes, Diageo, Lynn Hammond, Lauri & Charles Kibby, Neil Lane Jewelers, Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, UC Riverside School of Medicine, Wells Fargo Foundation

BENEFACTOR: Anthem Blue Cross, Carolyn & Daniel Caldwell, Colleen Crowley & Jack Martin, Coachella Valley Health Personnel, Diageo, Freehold Communities, Gilead Sciences, Annette Guzman, Heffernan Insurance Brokers, Image360, Patrick Jordan, Kaiser Permanente Foundation, Frank Kurland, Laboratory Corporation of America, Perry McKay, Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, Revive Wellness, Ann Sheffer & Bill Scheffler, Sysco Riverside, White Cross Pharmacy

MEDIA: CV Independent, Gay Desert Guide, LOCALE Magazine, Palm Springs Life, PromoHomo.TV, Rage Monthly, The Hollywood Times, The Standard Magazine

About Desert AIDS Project

Desert AIDS Project (DAP) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering DAP Total Care – a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services.  DAP’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, offers STI testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and Free HIV and HCV testing. DAP’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide free HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future.  DAP has earned a “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator for the sixth consecutive year – landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that we exceed industry standards in terms of our financial health, accountability, and transparency. Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.thedockclinic.org, and www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.

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Everyday Heroes Honors Individuals Who I …

by Desert AIDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Steven Henke

[email protected]

(760) 656-8401

Everyday Heroes Honors Individuals Who Inspire

December 1st Event Marks World AIDS Day

PALM SPRINGS, CA – October 22, 2019 — Greater Palm Springs will come together on Sunday, December 1, 2019  to celebrate Desert AIDS Project’s Everyday Heroes honorees, at the Palm Springs Cultural Center. The annual event, now in its sixth year, shines a spotlight on local individuals who inspire. This year’s honorees include Molly Bondhus and Wil Stiles, Brett Klein, Fiona Foyston, and John Bingle Thompson.

Everyday Heroes was born six years ago and, since then, the annual event has sought to share the inspirational stories of local volunteers and the countless different ways people make a difference in our community, in addition to or instead of writing a check as a show of support. The work of each year’s honorees is heroic and deserves the type of recognition traditionally reserved for major philanthropy in our valley. 

Desert AIDS Project’s CEO, David Brinkman, believes “Everyday Heroes connects deeply to the humanitarian work of Desert AIDS Project because each of the honorees, in their own way, helps DAP do the work we do to remove roadblocks to human potential.”

This year’s event will honor the humanitarian legacy of Barbara Keller by introducing a Community Action Award bearing her name. The award this year will be presented to Bondhus and Stiles, and will honor a different individual’s legacy in the years that follow.

Co-chaired by Terri Ketover, Ann Sheffer, and Tom Truhe.  The event will be produced by Frank Goldstin of Momentous events and feature short films of the honorees created by Abiel Hernandez, and images of the honorees by famed photographer John Paschal.

Broadway star Davis Gaines will perform live during the show. Gaines performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera over 2,000 times, during his run on Broadway, in Los Angeles, (where he remains LA’s longest-running Phantom), and in San Francisco, (where he received the Bay Area Critics’ Award for Best Actor). Subsequently, he was chosen by Hal Prince and Lloyd Webber to play the leading role in the World Premiere of Whistle Down the Wind. Gaines has sung for five U.S. Presidents and with every major symphony orchestra in North America, including the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl. His voice can be heard over 30 cast recordings and compilation albums, as well as two solo CDs, Against the Tide and All My Tomorrows: Songs of Sammy Cahn.

The Honorees:

Molly Bondhus and Wil Stiles recently celebrated their boutique’s 10th Anniversary by donating $500,000 worth of new fashion to Revivals Stores, to raise funds for Desert AIDS Project.  The couple has been active in volunteering and fundraising for LGBTQ and AIDS-related charities in both Minneapolis and Palm Springs for over 23 years. Past efforts included several years of coordinating fashion shows at major fundraising events for Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) in Minneapolis. Since the WIL STILES Store opened ten years ago, all excess inventory has been donated to Revivals Stores in support of Desert AIDS Project, as well as cruiser bicycles and gift certificates to various Palm Springs charitable auctions. Bondhus previously served on the board of AIDS Assistance Program (AAP). The couple provides direct financial support to: Sanctuary Palm Springs and NCLR, Friends of the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, Planned Parenthood, Southern Poverty Law Center, RAICES and the Brooklyn Community Bail Fund.

Brett Klein is active in local LGBTQ, and HIV + Aging healthcare. Klein has served in many leadership and committee roles. He currently serves as President of the HIV+Aging Research Project – Palm Springs (HARP-PS), which is focused on HIV+Aging research studies to improve the lives of those living with and affected by the disease. Klein says, “I am motivated by the need to help educate the community regarding issues that are personal to me; cycling and pedestrian safety, HIV+Aging concerns, and helping nonprofits at the grassroots level.”  This year, Klein is honoring his 58th birthday by launching his AIDS/LifeCycle 2020 participation.

Fiona Foyston is a long-time volunteer at Desert AIDS Project having worked on behalf of the organization for nineteen years. In addition to DAP, Foyston volunteers her time and talent at the Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Palm Springs Pride, HRC, Palm Canyon Theater and Modernism Week.  She’s also active in One-PS, representing her neighborhood of Rogers Ranch.

John Bingle Thompson is a volunteer at Revivals Palm Springs store where he has been lending his talent since 2015. He handles all of the new clothing merchandise and assists customers in styling when he’s present in the store. Thompson has been featured in magazines for his design work of his homes and consults on the layout of Revivals stores. Thompson also volunteers for Modernism Week, Palm Springs International Film Festival, American Documentary Film Festival and ShortFest.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

5:30 PM – Champagne Reception

6:30 PM – Awards Show and Entertainment

8:00 PM – After Party

2019 Everyday Heroes Sponsors

Major Sponsors
KESQ

Ann Sheffer and Bill Scheffler

Gilead

Momentous Events

LuLu California Bistro

Palm Springs Cultural Center

The Desert Sun

Event Sponsors

Contempo Lending

Grace Helen Spearman Foundation

Gay Desert Guide

CV Independent

The Standard Magazine

John Paschal Photography

Click Here to Reserve Your Tickets for Everyday Heroes

About Desert AIDS Project

Desert AIDS Project (DAP.) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in Palm Springs, CA offering DAP. Total Care – a combination of medical, dental, counseling, social services, support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy and lab, and other health and wellness services.  DAP.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, offers STD testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and HCV testing. DAP.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley campaign, the nation’s first region-wide free HIV testing and access to care initiative, was recognized by the White House for helping to bring about an AIDS-free future.  DAP. has earned a “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator for the sixth consecutive year – landing DAP. in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that we exceed industry standards in terms of our financial health, accountability,  and transparency. Visit www.desertaidsproject.org, www.thedockclinic.org, and www.gettestedcoachellavalley.org to learn more.