Milestones

History and Mission

The River Fund is dedicated to providing direct care services to people in need, including spiritual and educational support to people living with HIV/AIDS, their families and caregivers, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender.  We began working in Florida and Los Angeles in the 1980’s, as HIV/AIDS was running rampant.  Starting in 1999, we began international programs, and currently support community development projects in Africa and India.  

Florida Achievements

• Developed and operated an 8-bed respite for 8 years, caring for adults with HIV/AIDS; funded and volunteered at Mary’s House, caring for babies and children with HIV/AIDS.
• Feed Everyone Program: Since 1990 local volunteers have offered direct help, such as hospital visits, food for the needy and school supplies. 
• Partnership with Friends-Together, Inc. and Project Response: Supporting AIDS education and awareness to thousands of high school students throughout Florida. Recreational programs for HIV affected youth.
• Partnership with Kingdom Church, Gifford, Florida. Twice-monthly meals and food pantry in the neighborhood with the highest incidence of HIV and poverty in our county.
• Partnership with Stamp Out Hunger, national food drive sponsored by U.S. Postal Service; We distribute donated food locally.
• Grantee spotlight - Broadway Cares.

International Achievements - Africa and India

• Provided technical, program, and financial support to Ma's Centre, Tororo, Uganda supporting 1400 OVC and runs secondary schools, kindergartens, and programs for women and elders. (2000-2009)
• Provided technical, program, and financial support for RARUDO, an agricultural co-op working on health, education, and economic sustainability. (Since 2002)
• Sponsored and developed training for rural women. (Since 2005)
• Raised funds to build a library and girls’ dormitories for Great Aubrey Memorial College, a UMOP project. (2004-06)
• Raised funds for children’s projects in the townships of Cape Town, SA. (1999-2003)
• Currently supporting a home for 45 AIDS orphans in India. (Since 2005)
• Partnerships for development, women’s empowerment, nutrition, HIV/AIDS Long Term Survival Skills in war ravaged N Uganda (one million internally displaced refugees returning to their home – Since 2004).

Organizational Affiliations

• Presented at the XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto Canada. Abstract Title: Community, Church and Children: Breaking the Cycle of HIV/AIDS.
• UNGASS: United Nations Global Assembly Special Session on AIDS; Accredited Civil Society Organization participating in High Level Meeting at the UN June 2011, 2008, 2006, and 2001.
• Worked with AIDS Treatment Access to collect and distribute AIDS medications to people in Africa and the Caribbean (1999-2000)
• Hosted AIDS Empowerment Treatment International (AIDSETI) conference, 2001
• Statement of Conscience: Developed international statement calling on world religious leaders to increase awareness and responsibility for HIV/AIDS (1999).
• As a chapter of Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, facilitated AIDS education to schools, churches, prisons and the local community; helped take the Quilt to Africa for the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1999.