Health care organizations are marked by change. New client needs, current research findings, political transitions, technology and the economy have a significant effect on all aspects of community-based work. For the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, it is hard to imagine a year as filled with change as 2008. In August of 2008, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control released a long-awaited report that revealed the nation’s rate of new HIV infections to be 40 percent higher than previously believed. While this news sent shock waves through the public health community, it corroborated something those of us in the Bay Area have long known: it is imperative that we break the cycle of new HIV infections. Data tell where these infections will occur, what individual risk factors are responsible, and whether newly infected people will seek appropriate medical care and treatment. Ahead of the national curve, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, together with peer organizations and local government, has watched the HIV prevention landscape for many years, calling for innovative ideas to bring infection rates down once and for all. As we review the year with our clients, volunteers, Board of Directors, and staff, we are paying close attention to HIV prevention. Look for it on every page of this report and bear witness to the Foundation’s capacity to maximize opportunities to deliver on our promise to change HIV prevention in San Francisco. The work of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation is sustained by our supporters and by the people we serve. We are profoundly grateful to you and look forward to sharing details of our work in 2008 and in the future.
Sincerely,
Andrew Belschner Chair, Board of Directors
SAN FRANCISCO AIDS FOUNDATION • 2008 Annual Report
Mark Cloutier Chief Executive Officer
3