Forty years ago, during the height of the AIDS crisis, a community came together to care for one another when no one else would. Activists, healthcare providers, and allies fought to ensure dignity, access to care, and harm reduction strategies that saved countless lives. Because of their courage, Hawaiʻi became a leader in public health, funding safer sex supplies, syringe exchanges, and essential healthcare services.
Today, that progress is under attack. Harm reduction and public health programs like ours are being defunded and dismantled. Policies are being rolled back, and entire communities, especially trans and marginalized people, are being erased from public health priorities. These cuts will lead to more harm, more suffering, and more preventable deaths. We cannot stand by and let this happen.
We need you. By becoming a Friend for Life, you provide the stability our programs need to continue this essential work. A small, recurring donation of $5, $10, or $20 per month ensures that life-saving services remain available to those who need them most.
Public health is about people. It’s about compassion, dignity, and action. It’s about creating meaningful change.
We refuse to go backward.
Stand with us.
Give monthly. Be a Friend for Life.
With gratitude and compassion,
Heather Lusk, LCSW, MSW
Executive Director