CHICAGO READERS: Howard Brown Health Center is in Danger of Closing.

[BrendaQG]

Those of you in the community here in Chicago should see this. We are in real danger of loosing our community health center. If they don't get $500,000 in 50 days!

http://chicago.gopride.com/news/arti...ger-of-closing

Chicago, IL — Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC), a longtime medical care provider servicing Chicago's gay and lesbian community since 1974, says it faces a financial crisis that could leave thousands without medical care.

HBHC says it must raise $500,000 over 50 days and an additional $500,000 next year or risk shutting its doors for good. The 36 year-old center is launching a public appeal for Lifeline support.

During a news conference Thursday at the Center's facility in Lakeview, Jamal Edwards, President and CEO of Howard Brown and Board Chairman Mark Andrews, announced that a restated audit has revealed a deep financial deficit—the result of previous mismanagement of grant funds.

Trouble began for HBHC in early 2010 when Chief Executive Officer Michael Cook and Chief Financial Officer Mark Joslyn were dismissed over mismanagement of $3 million dollars in federal funds associated with a decades-long AIDS study. Amid the turmoil, the center named Edwards, a Chicago attorney, as CEO in June.

The research grant funding was tied to the Multi Center AIDS Cohort Study, or MACS, an ongoing study of HIV-infected men conducted by HBHC and Northwestern University.

Howard Brown came under a federal investigation in April and an internal investigation by the Center's Board revealed grant money was most-likely being used to cover operating expenses.

When HBHC voluntarily transferred its lead agency status to Northwestern University, a partner in the MACS research, it had to give the University $539,000 to make-up for the misused federal funds, which created a larger deficit in the Center's operating budget.

"Our team is deeply committed to resolving the effects of past mismanagement and preserving the community lifeline that Howard Brown provides," said Edwards. "But to do so we need a lifeline from the community. We know that we are asking a lot from our supporters, because we're asking the community to trust and support Howard Brown on the heels of past financial mismanagement. Let me assure you that this is a new day here, and the new executive team is committed to saving Howard Brown."

Howard Brown is one of the country's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered health care organizations, and serves over 6,000 individuals, many of whom live with HIV/AIDS. Through the Broadway Youth Center, HBHC, reaches 5,000 LGBTQ teens.

HBHC is asking the community to participate in a "Lifeline Appeal" by providing direct donations. Donations to the Lifeline Appeal may be made directly on the Center's website, www.howardbrown.org or call 773-388-1600.

Reporting in other sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/1..._n_779452.html

http://www.nowingaychicago.com/2010/...stay-open.html

How much has this place helped all of us? How many services there have we taken advantage of at some time or the other?Many of us owe them a great deal. If you are an admirer of transwomen here in Chicago you too are going to be effected by this.

I am going to donate all I can afford to help them keep their doors open.

[BrendaQG]

There is one other way we can help. I got this in an email from the new management.

Dear Colleagues,

As Howard Brown launches our Lifeline Appeal with the goal of raising $500,000 in 50 days, we need to get the word out about the life-preserving work that happens each day at Howard Brown. One way we will ensure that the impact of Howard Brown is understood and deeply felt by the community is to take our message viral by sharing 50 Stories in 50 Days.

Starting this weekend, Howard Brown Health Center will be asking clients (former and current), staff, and other supporters of our work to come film a brief 1-3 minute video about how Howard Brown has been a lifeline to them. Once we collect these videos, one will be posted online for the next 50 days as a call to action to the community to donate and support Howard Brown.

Please help us to get the word out about this opportunity by asking folks who have benefited from our work to come share their story during one of the following times:

Saturday, November 6th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Monday, November 8th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Wednesday, November 10th from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Friday, November 12th from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Filming will happen at Howard Brown Health Center's main location at 4025 N. Sheridan Road.

Should these times not work for someone, but they would still like to submit a video, they can do one of two things. First, they can film and email a self-produced video to mylifelinestory@gmail.com. Or, they can email me at joeh@howardbrown.org to set-up a time to tell their story.

Thank you for your help with this project-- and for everything else you do for Howard Brown Health Center! Should you have any questions about 50 Stories in 50 Days, please feel free to contact me. And, again, staff are highly encouraged to participate!

I will film such a video for them.

[TSMichelleAustin]

So sad, I used to go to HB to get my hormones and stuff when I lived in Chicago. Such a great facility! So sad, I hope they can raise the money.

[bridgetbbyxo]

i remeber i went there once durring the early years in my transistion.

[MrsKellyPierce]

Wow I hope they stay open. I never been, but it sounds like they do a lot of good for the GLBT.

[BrendaQG]

Yes they do a great deal of good for the community. They provide good inexpensive community oriented health care both physical and mental. They don't turn anyone away based on sexual orientation. They treat straight people too.

What I can ask those of you who saw this to do is to pass the information onto contacts who may be willing to help them. That alone could make the difference.

I reported the information I had without thinking about it. To survive they need $10,000 per day for the next 50 days to get $500000. I don't see how they can do it. The state of Illinois is broke I fear only an act of congress or having a lotto winner give a huge donation could save them. I don't see how we can do it but I'm still going to try. If we loose Howard Brown then the LGBT community in Chicago will have lost a priceless asset.

[flabbybody]

any poster that mentions someone's HIV status will be banned from HA.
it totally distracts from what Brenda is trying to accomplish

[LaCosa]

That's a lot of money to raise in 50 days. If anyone can pick up the phone and raise that kind of cash in such a short time it would be Chicago's own Oprah.

[BrendaQG]

I have gotta bump this.

[TsVanessa69]

any poster that mentions someone's HIV status will be banned from HA.
it totally distracts from what Brenda is trying to accomplish

Posters on this site who make references to tother peoples HIV staus is to deflect you guys from whats going on with theirs. ALL of them!
Thank you Brenda for sharing this with the board. I myself will be making a video this Monday. T-Time, the phycological help, as well as many other services are vital to our community. Howard Brown is a needed safespace in our community!