Dear Friends,

In 1985, a courageous group of community volunteers formed Chicago House, the first organization in the Midwest to provide housing for people with HIV and AIDS. In those early years of the epidemic, we rallied to support friends who had lost everything — their homes, jobs, even the support of their families. We volunteered our time and energy to restore dignity to the lives of these friends in their final days.

That spirit continues to drive our organization, from our board of trustees to every volunteer and donor. Together, we continuously evolve Chicago House to meet the changing nature of the disease, and the needs of those who suffer from it.

Today, HIV and AIDS increasingly impacts people who are dealing with homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, and extreme poverty. Even before being diagnosed, many of these families and individuals have never had homes, never had jobs, never had a support network of friends or family. Medical advances give them a chance to live longer, healthier lives, and to improve those lives, but the process is not easy. Nothing about AIDS is easy.

Thanks to new medications and advances in treatment, the battle for life itself has eased. The battle for quality of life has not. Chicago House will help its clients win that battle. And through the compassion and contributions of people like you, we hope to guide the women, men, and children at Chicago House toward wholeness and self-sufficiency.

The Rev. Stan J. Sloan

Chief Executive Officer