AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) joined Getting to Zero Illinois (GTZ-IL) in announcing the grant recipients for the first-ever Getting to Zero Illinois Community Grant Program—a pool of grants totaling $350,000.
Fourteen organizations across the state have each received one-time grants of up to $30,000 for new projects that will help the state get to zero new HIV transmissions and ensure all people living with HIV are engaged in equitable care.
The grants will support the development of several innovative projects aligned with GTZ-IL strategies including: a support group for caregivers of youth living with HIV; the creation of an anonymous and confidential hotline for Black gay, bisexual and same-gender-loving men who use methamphetamine; increased mobile HIV testing; and access to equitable dental-care options for people living with and disproportionately impacted by HIV.
AFC and GTZ centered racial equity when selecting grantees; 10 of the 14 agencies are Black- or Latinx-led. The 2021 GTZ-IL Community Grant Program Awardees are: Agape Missions, NFP, Care2Prevent, Christian Community Health Center, Community Wellness Project, Corazon Community Services, Heartland Health Alliance, Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland, Lorde, Rustin & Bates, Inc., Medical Organization for Latino Advancement, Proactive Community Services, Project VIDA, Southside HIV and AIDS Resource Providers (SHARP), Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) and Westside Pastors’ Coalition for AIDS.