2009 Annual Report 1 2009 Annual Report. For yesterday. For tomorrow. 2009 Annual Report 2 The hardships of today will pass. They will be overcome. Solutions will be discovered. Strategies put into action. Successes achieved. And tomorrow will come. Our optimism is not naive. It comes from over 28 years of work — from knowledge and experience; from triumph and adversity; from responding to a changing disease and redoubling our efforts at every step. Our optimism is the foundation of our work. In 2009 that optimism was put to the test. We experienced the unprecedented shift that accompanied a change of administration and enjoyed the fruits of hard-won labors with legislation that uplifted the lives of HIV-positive immigrants. We fell victim to the tumult of an economic crisis that toughened our fight and strengthened our resolve. We expanded our services and fed more people in our dining room than ever before. And we faced the prospect of dwindling resources. We did it all, not for today — for the fight against AIDS will not be won today. We did it all, instead, with the optimism of tomorrow. Because we know that one day — one tomorrow — our fight will indeed be won. That’s why no matter who is in need; no matter how scarce or plentiful our resources; no matter where we find our allies or adversaries in communities and government, GMHC is for yesterday, for tomorrow, and for life. For Life. GMHC contingent in New York City’s View the full report at our annual LGBT Pride March on Fifth Avenue. For more information on joining annual new website — gmhc.org community events, visit gmhc.org. 2009 Annual Report 3 When we reach out to communities, we help unite them against risk. And often the communities we serve help right back. Community Outreach: The House of Latex Ball connects with young at-risk people of color, drawing on the ties that bind the vibrant House and Ball community to propagate awareness, education, and prevention through onsite testing and counseling at an annual event that draws over 4,000 attendees. Community Support: Fashion Forward. For the second year, some of the best known designers in the world contributed to Fashion Forward, benefitting GMHC’s programs, and outreach activities. Community Celebration: Savor invited donors on a tour of New American cuisine. Four of the city’s most renowned chefs collaborated on a feast that nourished both our guests and our resources. Community Action: We’re Not Dolls. Don’t Play with Women’s Lives. As part of National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, GMHC led a call-to-action on the steps of City Hall to bring the disproportionate plight of women and girls of color to light. Our legacy lent these women power. But the voice that was heard was theirs alone. For the City. Hundreds of dolls with signs bearing statements on View the full report at our HIV/AIDS and other sexually-transmitted diseases that impact women and girls in the United States. For more new website — gmhc.org information on our women’s services, visit gmhc.org. 2009 Annual Report 4 While dwindling resources may have challenged us, our successes on the world’s stage for HIV-affected populations made a bittersweet year sweeter still. The Nation: A National HIV/AIDS Strategy. A long-held goal of GMHC, the now-in-development national AIDS strategy will align the efforts of community organizations; and develop new, useful epidemiological data; with the goal of slowing the rate of infections in our most vulnerable communities across the nation. The Government: The Appointment of Jeff Crowley. President Obama appointed a Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, Jeff Crowley. Mr. Crowley has promised to work closely with those at the forefront of the epidemic, including GMHC, to develop effective national programs. The World: The Repeal of the HIV Immigration and Travel Ban. This year we watched in awe as the ban against HIV-positive immigrants and travelers fell forever. Now, more of the marginalized populations who need care and counseling most will finally receive it, without fear of prosecution or deportation. For the World. Undermining Public Health and Human Rights: The United States HIV Travel and Immigration Ban A report published by GMHC as part Jeff Crowley, Director, Office of of its steadfast advocacy to repeal the National AIDS Policy. For more U.S. HIV travel and immigration ban. information on our public policy work, visit gmhc.org. 2009 Annual Report 5 Dear Friends: 2009 was a year of change for all of us. A new president was elected while our economy was dealt seismic blows. And we all found ourselves pondering the difference between that which is valuable and that which is meaningful. While the world was changing around us, GMHC was changing too. The strategic plan we meticulously crafted was put into action. We initiated a rebranding of the organization to better reflect our ever-evolving tactics. And we closely studied new epidemiological data to ensure that our resources were being directed at those who need them most. And yet as profound as those changes may seem, for us it is a way of life. GMHC’s steadfastness comes from our ability to swiftly transform and respond to an epidemic that moves in virulent, unpredictable ways. The onus is upon us to react nimbly, to change constantly, to speak loudly, and to work tirelessly — no matter what the stock indexes read — against a disease that thrives in silence, apathy and stigma. And from this year of ingenuity, we make this promise for the future: No matter who sits in the Oval Office. No matter how dire our economy becomes. No matter who is affected by HIV. GMHC will be here, working to end the AIDS epidemic. We do it because our vision of a world without AIDS is clear and present. But we can only do it with the generous support of donors and supporters like you. Thank you for your strength, your commitment, and your continued support. For Ingenuity. Marjorie J. Hill, Ph.D. Odell Mays II Chief Executive Officer Co-Chair, GMHC Board of Directors 2009 Annual Report 6 The economic descent of 2009 was felt by all. But due to the ingenuity and the generosity of GMHC staff and volunteers, no services were ended; no clients were turned away; no meals were cancelled. Crystal Meth and HIV/AIDS. Many gay men are still jeopardizing their lives and health with crystal methamphetamine addictions that lead to risk-taking behaviors and an increase in HIV infections. GMHC received the first federal appropriation in its history ($300,000) to address the critical issues of crystal methamphetamine use and its impact on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City. This led us to develop a new interactive website — mymethlife.org — that provides resources and support while allowing people to share their experiences about crystal meth. We also upgraded our main website and re-imagined our logo with a new tagline to increase our visibility and engagement of the public. For Everyone in Need: On January 30, 2009 more than 600 clients came in to our dining room needing a hot meal — a record-breaking demand. Never before had we fed so many in one day. Despite how thinly stretched our resources had become, we turned no one away. AIDS Walk New York: Some of our longest-contributing donors were forced to scale back or eliminate their contributions this year. Yet thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the AIDS Walk staff and the generosity of our sponsors, 2009’s AIDS Walk broke all previous years’ records in corporate contributions. For Perseverance. Crystal Taylor (Meals Program), Larry Kramer View the full report at our (one of GMHC’s six founders), Jeff Rindler (Volunteer, Work & Wellness Center), and Marjorie J. Hill, Ph.D. (CEO). new website — gmhc.org For more information on our services, visit gmhc.org. 2009 Annual Report 7 In 2003 In 2005 John Coughlin Cynthia Melville received legal registered as a client assistance for a job for coordinated discrimination case care services Started attending women’s support Registered to be a client for groups in Women’s Care, Prevention coordinated care services and Support Services Joined the Joined the Then registered in Consumer Women’s the MATCH (Moving Advisory Committee of Ahead Toward Career Board the CAB Horizons) program for (CAB) help with job training and placement Started accessing the Meals Program and then learned about the Became Action Center an intern at GMHC, as part of his job Began lobbying elected officials training in Washington, DC and Albany about the critical issues affecting people living with HIV/AIDS Also volunteered Attended workshops in the to provide Treatment Adherence Program administrative help in various departments Started job training in whenever needed the MATCH Program For Prevention. For John. For Cynthia. Our services, programs, In 2008, he was hired Now attending college-level and lobbying efforts are full-time in the Volunteer classes for certification as a based on the concept of and Work Center. He then CASAC (Certified Alcohol and prevention. Prevention is a transferred recently to work Substance Abuse Counselor) – continuum, with opportunities in the MATCH Program as a will graduate in December 2010, to reduce the risk of HIV Data Entry Specialist. and is still active in the Action transmission at every step, Center and a part of the CAB. in every community, and in everyone — whether they’re HIV negative or HIV positive. 2009 Annual Report 8 Board of Directors Senior Management Team Odell Mays II Marjorie J.