Common Bond HIV Emergency Project

Since 1988, the HIV Emergency Project has helped prevent homelessness for low-income New Mexicans living with HIV/AIDS. On a “last resort” basis, we provide financial assistance for rent, utilities, medical bills, and other necessities of life to help them remain in treatment and reduce the chance of spreading further infection in the state. 

New Mexico HIV Emergency Project ● 2022 Annual Report

For 34 years, the Emergency Project has played a unique role within the state’s HIV healthcare network. The New Mexico Department of Health estimates that 3,954 people in the state are infected with HIV. We help meet the basic living needs of some of the most vulnerable people within that population. 
 

During 2022:
 ● We increased our assistance benefit to $300 per client.
 ● We provided “last resort” financial assistance to 349 clients,  
    an increase of 25% over 2021.
 ● We disbursed $97,197.00, an increase of nearly 78%.
 

The Emergency Project helps prevent homelessness for low-income New Mexicans living with HIV/AIDS. Ours is "last resort" financial assistance with the flexibility to meet a wide range of needs – some of which (like auto repairs) are essential but cannot be paid by government or other sources of support. Our rush payments are primarily for rent, utilities, and medical bills. We also assist with health insurance, medicines, and other necessities of life. Very few of our clients can pay for eyeglasses through any other sources. Due to inflation, last year the single most important need of was assistance with electricity and gas bills. Our assistance checks go out within 24 hours; often on the same day the request is received.
 
 Many government-funded agencies are slow to make decisions -- or there are seasonal caps on funds that are available. The Emergency Project steps in when no other assistance program can quickly relieve the stress on people dealing with the multiple issues of HIV/AIDS infection. 

 We respond to case manager requests from the New Mexico Department of Health’s five HIV Service Provider organizations: University of New Mexico Truman Health Services, Southwest Care Center, First Nations Community HealthSource, Alianza of New Mexico, and Community Collaborative Care. Providing our services through these agencies helps assure that these clients remain in treatment thereby reducing spread of the HIV virus in our state.
 
 During 2022, with 419 payments, we assisted 349 male, female and transgender clients   who are Hispanic, White, Native American and Black. Their ages ranged from 22 to 81.     
 
The Emergency Project serves not only the metro areas of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces, but also smaller New Mexico cities and rural communities. During 2022,  we helped clients in Abiquiu, Acoma, Alamogordo, Alto, Anthony, Arrey, Artesia, Aztec, Belen, Bloomfield, Buena Vista, Carson, Cedar Crest, Chaparral, Church Rock, Clovis, Cochiti Pueblo, Cuba, Deming, Dulce, Edgewood, Elephant Butte, Espanola, Estancia, Eunice, Farmington, Flora Vista, Gallup, Hernandez, Hobbs, Kirkland, Las Lunas,      Las Vegas, Los Alamos, Mesilla Park, Mesquite, Moriarty, Mountainair, Peñasco, Pie Town, Placitas, Ponderosa, Portales, Questa, Raton, Radium Springs, Rio Rancho, Roswell, Ruidoso, Sandia Park, Santa Cruz, Sheep Springs, Shiprock, Stanley, Taos, Thoreau, Tijeras, Tohatchi, Truth or Consequences, Tucumcari, Valdez and Velarde.

The Emergency Project was established during the original AIDS crisis, when people were dying at shocking rates. Thirty-four years ago, clients were primarily gay and bisexual men living in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Over the years our client base has evolved along with the changing face of HIV. We have never discriminated on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation.
 
 These are examples of the financial challenges experienced by our clients during 2022:
 ● 73-year-old woman had to purchase medical equipment not covered by insurance. This leaves her short to pay her rent.
● 72-year-old man has had several sinus procedures this year. His Social Security income barely covers his monthly living expenses and he needs help in paying his medical bills.isHis
 ● 68-year-old man needs assistance for a doctor-recommended walker which is not covered by his medical insurance.
 ● 66-year-old man is in need of dentures and other dental work. He has no insurance or funds for these medical bills.
 ● 60-year-old man recently diagnosed with cancer is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. He is unable to work for several months and has no income.
 ● 57-year-old man’s car is inoperable and needs to be repaired so he can keep medical appointments. His is also currently in need of a new water heater.
 ● 55-year-old man is taking care of his elderly mother who is in hospice. He has no current income and needs assistance to prevent his gas utility being disconnected.
 ● 50-year-old man lost his stepfather and is now the only source of household income. Funeral expenses will compromise his ability to pay for rent and utilities.
 ● 43-year-old man lost his job due to COVID-19 and currently has zero income. Without assistance his electricity is in jeopardy of being disconnected.
 ● 38-year-old transgender woman unexpectedly lost their job due to gender identity and has fallen behind on utility bills.

As an additional service, Common Bond board member Dylan Lutey, an estate planning attorney with Hedrich Law, P.A. in Albuquerque, offers pro bono legal services (New Mexico Power of Attorney and Advance Medical Directive) to referred clients.

The Emergency Project operates in a low-key, direct, individual manner with a minimum of bureaucratic detail. For its first 20 years, equal rights activist Liz Canfield managed the project as a volunteer from her home. A new volunteer, Steve Ridlon, became Director in October 2008. Because he donates the cost of the Project’s operating expenses, 100% of private donations and grant funds are disbursed to people in critical financial need.

During 2022, the Emergency Project received funding from the New Mexico Department of Health, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and 20 private donors.
 
 The Emergency Project is a program of Common Bond New Mexico Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; therefore, your contributions are tax-deductible. You can donate securely online at: commonbondnm.org/donate. Please be sure to click on the box for HIV EMERGENCY PROJECT. Thank you!  For more information, e-mail EmergencyProjectNM@gmail.com            or call 505-636-0845.