The City of West Hollywood is activating its West Hollywood Responds program to encourage contributions to agencies and organizations that provide HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, healthcare, and services. Recent federal budget cuts by the Trump Administration have significantly impacted HIV/AIDS care and prevention in Los Angeles County, exacerbating challenges faced by local organizations. The Administration has effectively ended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s HIV prevention and surveillance programs and the Administration has eliminated more than $1.5 billion in funding for federal HIV prevention efforts.

The City Council of the City of West Hollywood, at its regular meeting on Monday, April 7, 2025, approved the adoption of a Resolution opposing efforts by the Trump Administration to cut HIV prevention and treatment programs worldwide. Local organizations in Los Angeles County have been directly impacted by these federal funding reductions. Health officials warn that without immediate intervention, Los Angeles County could see an increase in new HIV infections.

The City of West Hollywood is activating its West Hollywood Responds program to raise awareness about the devastating impacts of these federal cuts and to encourage contributions to agencies and organizations that provide services.

The City has assembled a list of organizations on its website at www.weho.org/wehoresponds, as follows:

• APAIT – www.apaitssg.org

APAIT (Access to Prevention, Advocacy, Intervention & Treatment) aims to improve the quality of life for underserved communities affected by HIV/AIDS by providing testing, behavioral health treatment, counseling, social support, and housing case management.

• AIDS Healthcare Foundation – www.aidshealth.org

The largest global provider of HIV medical care, offering clinics, pharmacies, affordable housing, and food services, AHF also operates “Out of the Closet” thrift stores, which fund HIV/AIDS care and provide free rapid HIV testing at select locations.

• APLA Health – www.aplahealth.org

APLA Health provides comprehensive health care, HIV specialty care, prevention and testing, dental services, and mental health support, and focuses on underserved communities, particularly people living with and affected by HIV.

• Being Alive Los Angeles – www.beingalivela.org

Being Alive is a peer-led organization offering free mental health services, support groups, wellness programs, and treatment education for people living with HIV/AIDS.

• Bienestar Human Services – www.bienestar.org

Bienestar provides free services including HIV prevention, STI testing and treatment, mental health counseling, substance use support, and harm reduction programs, focusing on Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities.

• California Community Foundation (CCF) – www.calfund.org

CCF is an organization that accepts donations to support various initiatives in Los Angeles County. Its focuses on key areas of support and facilitates donations to specific fund areas, such as HIV/AIDS, or donors may contribute to general funds supporting its overall mission.

• Los Angeles LGBT Center – www.lalgbtcenter.org

The Los Angeles LGBT Center offers comprehensive, compassionate, and stigma-free HIV and AIDS services tailored to the LGBTQ+ community. These services encompass prevention, testing, treatment, and ongoing care, all provided through multiple accessible locations across the city.

• Men’s Health Foundation – www.menshealthfound.org/donate

Men’s Health Foundation provides medical care coordination, HIV prevention, and support services, aiming to end healthcare inequity in Los Angeles.

• Minority AIDS Project – www.map-usa.org

The first community-based HIV/AIDS organization founded and managed by people of color in the U.S., Minority AIDS Project offers free education, testing, and support services, particularly serving Black and Latino communities.

• Project Angel Food – www.angelfood.org

Project Angel Food, founded in response to the AIDS crisis, provides free, medically tailored meals to individuals in Los Angeles County living with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses. They prepare and deliver over 2,300 meals daily to those unable to shop or cook for themselves.

Check with Charity Navigator, which rates organizations based on their financial health, accountability, and transparency. Before donating, make sure that a given organization aligns with your values and that the donation is being used in ways you’d like. Click here for tips on how to safely make charitable donations and avoid potential scams.

As background, the West Hollywood City Council first established West Hollywood Responds as a local disaster relief program in 2005 developed to provide assistance to the Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Katrina. It has been reactivated multiple times during the past several years, including an active effort for people to donate to organizations that are aiding people in Ukraine, relief efforts for devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, and devastating wildfires in Maui, Los Angeles County, and more.

The onset of the HIV/AIDS epidemic had a significant impact in West Hollywood and the disease’s elevated infection rate among gay men caused a devastatingly high number of deaths in the City. The City of West Hollywood was one of the first government entities to provide social services grants to local AIDS and HIV organizations, a legacy that continues today with the City’s Human Services Division. The City has a strong commitment to continuing supporting HIV/AIDS services and support.

For more information about local HIV and AIDS services, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Human Services Division. Visit the City’s website at www.weho.org/humanservices or call (323) 848-6510. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing dial 711 or 1-800-735-2929 (TTY) or 1-800-735-2922 (voice) for California Relay Service (CRS) assistance.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.