The Campbell Foundation recently held its annual end-of-year Holiday Hugs event giving out $30,000 to local organizations to assist those living with HIV.
Since its founding 24 years ago, the Campbell Foundation has given over $14 million to foundations like SunServe and The Poverello Center (with $1.3 million being put towards direct services), making it one of the community’s biggest supporters of continuing HIV research. The Campbell Foundation is a huge help to foundations like SunServe and Poverello, who often feel the stress of having dwindling funds during the busy holiday season.
Poverello, which focuses on providing food and loving care to those living with HIV, couldn’t be more grateful for the Campbell Foundation’s help.
“We serve far more people than we receive grant money to feed,” said Kevin Clevenger of Poverello. “Anything like the ‘Holiday Hug’ the Campbell Foundation gives us each year helps fill those gaps. Over the years, it’s been an enormous help in our work to serve those with HIV in our community. We’re so grateful for their generosity toward our community.”
SunServe, which provides social services to economically disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the LGBT community shared Poverello’s sentiments.
“SunServe uses the Campbell Foundation Holiday Hugs gift to subsidize mental health services for HIV-plus folks, both seeing a therapist or our Psych Nurse,” said Mark Ketcham, when asked what the organization was planning on doing with their grant money. “We have always used this gift in this manner and so appreciate the foundation's generosity.”
The Campbell Foundation itself also had something to say about its generosity this year.
“While funding HIV research has been our main focus since 1995, we also realize there is a significant need in our community for critical social services including housing, food, education and counseling,” said the Campbell Foundation’s Trustee Bill Venuti in a press release. “This is especially true today as nonprofits across the spectrum struggle with obtaining donations.”
Ken Rapkin, the Executive Director of the Campbell Foundation, continued his colleague’s sentiments.
“Our Holiday Hug program allows us to invest in vital programs in our community and around the state of Florida that are helping those live and thrive with HIV,” Rapkin said. “We’re proud to have directed about $2 million in direct support grants over the last 24 years. AIDS is still with us and South Florida leads the country in new HIV infections, but with our community partners, we can ensure support and services remain strong.”
Since its founding in 1995, the Campbell Foundation has sought to continue the research of HIV by supporting nonprofit foundations that conduct clinical, laboratory-based research into the treatment of HIV and related illnesses. Now, nearly 24 years later, the Campbell Foundation still believes in providing the community with the grants necessary to bring much-needed attention to the issues that still affect the LGBT community.
