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Lifelong AIDS Alliance 

Description

From July 1, 2011 – June 01, 2012, Lifelong served 4,738 clients living with a chronic condition like HIV/AIDS and initiated 9,000 face-to-face interactions among at-risk populations to encourage safer sex practices.

By keeping people healthy, providing prevention education and managing care, Lifelong plays a critical role for thousands of vulnerable individuals in our community. Simply put — our work matters. We save lives.

Mission Statement
Lifelong empowers people living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions to lead healthier lives.
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Lifelong AIDS Alliance
1002 E Seneca Street 
Seattle 
WA
98122-4214 
(206) 328-8979 

Randall H. Russell 
CEO 

Programs

Lifelong AIDS Alliance Programs

Housing
Referrals to emergency, transitional, and permanent housing.

Case Management
Access to available health care resources as well as mental health services and substance abuse and chemical dependency support programs.

Insurance
Coverage of medical insurance premiums so individuals can receive life-sustaining care and medications.

Food/Meals
Nutritious meals that meet American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association standards as well as groceries to individuals with HIV, seniors, and people whose health is compromised.

Basic Needs
Vouchers to allow persons living with HIV or AIDS to purchase clothes and household items at Lifelong’s on-site thrift shop, which is also open to the community.

Lifelong’s history of community service and partnerships are shining examples of what can be achieved when people collaborate for the greater good. Throughout our 30 year history, we have been leaders in educating the community about HIV and AIDS. Our prevention education programs target at-risk individuals including vulnerable youth populations; advocacy efforts are undertaken on behalf of our clients as well as the larger community through our direct involvement in public policy initiatives locally and nationally. Our long-standing signature community-building events promote understanding and compassion for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. The breadth and depth of our services are only possible because we have the support of a dedicated and caring network of more than 1,300 volunteers.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Successes

Lifelong Housing Safety Net
A settlement between our state’s Consumer Protection Division and the nation’s five largest private mortgage servicers resulted in $40 million in funds being returned to Washington State; it was decided that funds would be used to help individuals and families who have suffered foreclosures.

Lifelong was one of thirteen organizations to receive an award from this settlement (out of 54 applicants). Lifelong’s Housing Safety Net Program received a $2 million grant; the program conducted in partnership with Solid Ground, provide housings subsidies to individuals/families who suffered foreclosures in the previous 24 months who also live with a chronic illness or condition.

Partnership with Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre (QTET)
Since 2007, QTET has provided a safe, creative outlet for queer and allied youth to explore their voice and identity through a collaborative, therapeutic theater process. QTET has now become a cornerstone of our youth prevention and education programming and has enabled Lifelong to reach more than 20 public and private high schools and impact close to 600 students in the greater Seattle area and parts of King County. The partnership complements Lifelong’s outreach and prevention education services through QTET’s performances and school workshops targeting LGBTQ youth and their communities. QTET creates a safe space for teens to give voice to their concerns, hopes and dreams and serves as an antidote to the bullying, intolerance and isolation that affect queer youth throughout King County.

National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
In collaboration with local human service organizations, Lifelong organized a day of HIV testing and prevention education for low-income women living in nearby homeless shelters. Staff administered 75 tests for HIV and Hepatitis C, provided individual counseling and conducted participatory training with over 100 women. This event was created in partnership with the Office of Women’s Health, Gay City, Babes Network, the YWCA and People of Color Against AIDS Network.

Challenges

Citizens in our community who face multiple life challenges depend on Lifelong to meet a broad spectrum of needs as they cope with an unstable housing market, food deserts, longer life expectancies and changing vulnerability to communicable diseases.

Due to improved treatment, HIV infection has now become a chronic condition. As HIV mortality has dropped, increasing numbers of people are living with this disease. There are approximately 7,000 people living with HIV or AIDS in King County today, most of whom will live longer and need help managing HIV/AIDS as a chronic condition. In addition to HIV/AIDS, illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory illness and arthritis are the largest contributors to ill health in King County, resulting in more than 4,300 deaths every year.

Over half of Lifelong’s food program clients are not HIV positive but are food insecure, disabled or elderly living with other chronic illnesses. All are low-income and many come from marginalized populations. Our clients who have lived with HIV/AIDS for many years are medically fragile and most have housing, mental health and substance abuse issues; 37% are over the age of 50.

Evaluation


Lifelong AIDS Alliance (Lifelong) works to prevent the spread of HIV, as well as to provide support services and advocate for those whose lives are affected by AIDS.  They are incorporating serving people with other chronic conditions into their mission statement.

Proven Success
The AARP Foundation awarded Lifelong a two-year grant to pilot a hunger relief project targeted to Seattle’s low-income senior community.  They are providing cooking classes to low-income seniors and are teaching 1,000 seniors how to create simple, healthy, and affordable recipes.

Lifelong is very involved in health care reform.  People living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic conditions will now be able to achieve greatly improved health outcomes through access to physical and mental health care and other needed services. Lifelong will play a major role in how health care reform is implemented in Washington State, and they are busy preparing for the roll out of this initiative to ensure that people living with HIV are able to access care.  They convened a dialogue among Washington State stakeholders that work directly with people with HIV/AIDS. 

Leadership
Lifelong has had four executive directors in the last 10 years.  In July 2011 they hired a new CEO who has 25 years of non profit management with AIDS service organizations.  Under the leadership of Randy Russell Lifelong is building a new culture and looking at how to position themselves for health care reform.  They are focused on board development and engagement and have recruited six new board members in the past year, they are revising their mission statement and organizational values, as well as creating a new strategy for future investments and community impact.  They are launching a strategic planning process to ensure programs and services remain relevant and sustainable.

Financial Health
More than two-thirds of their budget comes from pass-through funding from Washington State to administer the Evergreen Health Insurance Program (EHIP) and provide health insurance for people statewide living with HIV/AIDS. 

Collaboration
Beginning in 2012, Rosehedge/Multifaith Works, Plymouth Housing, Sound Mental Health, DESC, and nine other housing providers will support Lifelong as it becomes the HIV Housing Lead Agency for King County. This will move Lifelong into a position of community leadership and enhanced partnership with all of the housing agencies.

Sustainability
To adapt to the recent economic climate, Lifelong has staffed up and put appropriate resources into their development department.   They have a strong base of individual donors and are focusing on pursuing more institutional funders.  In the next year, Lifelong expects their expanded mission to offer opportunities to pursue other funding streams such as support for other chronic diseases and for targeted nutrition therapies.

They expect to do some re-branding related to the expansion of their organizational mission. There is an ongoing need to balance support from long-time funders with expansion of our donor base. Lifelong will also address issues of sustainability that arise from receiving high-profile, one-time awards such as those from AARP.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2013 $15,000.00provide general operating support.
3/10/2012 $15,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/10/2010 $15,000.00support general operating expenses.
9/10/2009 $40,000.00support general operating expenses.
10/18/2007 $40,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/16/2004 $50,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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