We wanted to take a moment to say thank to you all for your incredible support of CAP and AIDS Walk Northwest. AIDS Walk Northwest (formerly AIDS Walk Portland) is a cornerstone event for CAP and helps raise awareness for HIV and AIDS as well as critical funds to support CAP and our Community Partners as we fight to end HIV transmission. Thousands of you rallied over the past few months and helped us exceed our fundraising goal; because of your generous support we raised over $178,000 during this year’s event to support healthcare and HIV services for both CAP and our Community Partners!

Hello Everyone, It’s Tyler TerMeer – CEO of Cascade AIDS Project and Prism Health!

I’m reaching out today with an important update about AIDS WALK Northwest.

As I’m sure you can imagine, we have been keeping a close eye on the wildfires this week and due to the increased smoke and fire safety concerns in our local area, we have made the tough decision that AIDS Walk on September 12th will be a virtual livestream event only.

September 18 is National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day—a day to call attention to the growing number of people living long and full lives with HIV, and to the aging-related challenges of HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. It also seems like a great time to share with you CAP’s efforts to support the wellbeing of aging adults living with or affected by HIV, and initiatives being undertaken in our larger community.

CAP is excited to announce that registration for the 2020 AIDS Walk Northwest (previously AIDS Walk Portland) is now open! For 35 years, Cascade AIDS Project has called upon thousands of community members, advocates and activists to step up and take a stand against HIV transmission. We take to the streets of Portland to remind everyone that HIV/AIDS has impacted each and every one of our lives in some way.

Thanks to our community, the CAP Art Auction: Reimagined! was a huge success! Together, we raised over $405,000 to support and empower all people living with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide compassionate healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community & beyond.

CAP is excited to announce that we are currently hiring a full-time Equity and Inclusion Advocate. This position was made possible thanks to a generous grant from The Collins Foundation for $115,000 over two years.

In our last letter, we shared our commitment to providing you with updates on how our system is adapting in the pandemic, and taking the necessary steps to ensure that you have access to the services you need, while staying safe and healthy. You are always in the forefront of our minds, but in these past few weeks, amid community uprisings it becomes even clearer how important it is for us to stay connected.

Last week, Leaders and Organizations in the Black community sent a letter to Governor Kate Brown, Speaker of the House Tina Kotek, Senate President Peter Courtney and members of the Emergency Board.

As you know, COVID-19 is also highlighting what was already true—while Oregonians are weathering the same storm, we’re not all in the same boat. Black, brown, and Indigenous communities have always been denied the resources we need to be healthy. So, it is absolutely predictable that we are the communities hit hardest by COVID-19—and not just by the virus itself. Nationally, we also know that the CARES Act has already left Black communities behind.

Last month, we took a look at our CareLink Program and the work they are doing during the time of COVID-19. Although the pandemic has drastically impacted the way we deliver client services, CAP continues to adapt to find ways to insure our clients are cared for and connected. This month, we check in with our Aging Well Program to see how COVID-19 has impacted their clients and community, and what creative solutions they have found to continue their critical work.

We wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your commitment to supporting CAP and Prism Health during this unprecedented time. Together, we have raised over $250,000 to support CAP and Prism Health’s COVID-19 relief effort. Some of the work we have been able to accomplish includes:

CAP is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a $5,000 grant from Bank of the West to help support our Employment Assistance program in Oregon.

CAP is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a $2,500 grant from The Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund to purchase food and clothing for participants in our CareLink program.

CareLink is a short-term program (3 to 6 months) that provides connection to medical care for HIV-positive people who are newly diagnosed with HIV, incarcerated or recently incarcerated, as well as those who have not seen an HIV medical provider in more than six months.

CAP Has been Awarded the Following Grants in response to COVID-19 to support General Operating Expenses, COVID-19 Response, Emergency Rent Assistance, Medical Motel Vouchers, Emergency Technology Purchases, Transportation Support, and other programmatic support.

As we are inundated by the daily impacts of COVID-19 on our friends, families, communities, and globally, we wanted to take a moment to share two stories from our CareLink Team that reminded us of all the good that can be done, even in these trying times. CAP is working tirelessly to expand equitable access to health care, and that work is critically important, perhaps now more than ever.

We wrote to you a couple of weeks ago to let you know that all of our HIV organizations remain open and able to provide the services that you need and deserve. We are all available in different capacities and we encourage you to visit our websites, social media pages and call us. Our plan is to remain open during the Stay Home: Save Lives order and to continue to be here for you. We hope that you are finding ways to take care of yourselves during this time.

Our agency is already witnessing the impacts of the spread of COVID-19 on our clients. People living with HIV who are not “virally suppressed” are at greater risk of developing serious, potentially life-threatening symptoms than the general public. Many members of this population are also experiencing homelessness or housing instability, further increasing their risk of acute COVID-19. The rate of requests for emergency rent assistance has more than doubled since last week as clients have been laid off or seen their work hours reduced.

We are reaching out to you in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to let you know we are here for you. We understand that social distancing, while a necessary part of stopping the spread of coronavirus, has a real impact not only on the services we are able to provide at this time, but also the lives of you and your loved ones.

At CAP, the well-being of our community is a top priority and we are aware that the populations we serve are often the most vulnerable during a public health crisis. We will be staying open with essential services so that our clients can receive the care they need, while also protecting our members, visitors, volunteers, and staff while they are here.

CAP has been awarded a grant for $17,500 from The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in partnership with Macy’s. The grant will be used for CAP’s Women of Wisdom Program in Southwest Washington; which is a unique program that serves as a safe space to provide psycho-social support groups that unite, educate, and empower women living with HIV/AIDS and their children.