Dec. 20, 2023 By Ethan Marshall
Two Queens-based organizations were awarded grants on Wednesday, Dec. 13, to better serve community members most impacted by the HIV epidemic.
The Caribbean Equality Project in Richmond Hill and Colectivo Intercultural TRANSgrediendo of Jackson Heights were among the six recipients of grant money from the Amida Care Fund at Stonewall Community Foundation. Amida Care is a not-for-profit health organization that specializes in providing comprehensive health coverage and coordinated care to people affected by HIV. The Stonewall Community Foundation raises money and funds work aimed at making a difference on the LGBTQ+ community.
“Our grantee partners are leading the charge to end the HIV epidemic in the LGBTQ+ community,” Stonewall Community Foundation Executive Director Jarrett Lucas said. “These grassroots community organizations serve the communities most heavily impacted by HIV and are led by leaders from the same communities. We are proud to partner with Amida Care to support these dedicated organizations in delivering critical essential services and support.”
The Caribbean Equality Project advocates for Caribbean LGBTQ+ voices in New York City through education, community organizing, civic engagement, storytelling and cultural and social programming. Activities the organization conducts include street outreach, hosting workshops and more. Programs and services like these are meant to build support networks for those in the LGBTQ+ community who may be in need of a safe space.
Representatives from the Caribbean Equality Project are honored for receiving the grant from the Amida Care Fund at Stonewall Community Foundation. Photo courtesy of Amida Care
Colectivo Intercultural TRANSgrediendo works to promote and defend human rights and access to comprehensive health care for those in the LGBTQ+ community, as well as sex workers. By strengthening the social and cultural expression of diverse communities in New York City, the organization seeks to guarantee these people with the well-being and right to a life free from all types of violence.
“Amida Care has advocated to ensure that LGBTQ+ communities and communities of color most impacted by HIV have access to care and that the providers serving these communities have the necessary resources to deliver that care,” Amida Care President and CEO Doug Wirth said. “Although we have made progress in ending the HIV epidemic, progress has been unequal, and health disparities continue to persist. Amida Care is proud to work in partnership with Stonewall Community Foundation to support organizations providing essential community-based services that are crucial to breaking down barriers to accessing quality health care and ending the HIV epidemic in New York.”
In addition to the Caribbean Equality Project and Colectivo Intercultural TRANSgrediendo, the other organizations to receive a grant from the Amida Care Fund at Stonewall Community Foundation included New Pride Agenda, Out My Closet, Translatinx Network and Trinity Place Shelter. A total of $22,500 was distributed across these six organizations, with each receiving between $2,500 and $4,000.