Mission

ACRC is a community-based non-profit organization who caters to the needs the HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis C and at risk communities.

ACRC has been committed to growing new and innovative public health approaches to support empowerment through unique and creative ways. The impact of these interventions on the client base, service providers as well as the greater community’s public health and quality of life is tremendous.

More than 2,000 people are reached each year through ACRC’s innovative programs and services. ACRC has earned the respect of local and national experts and institutions for its grassroots approaches to helping people living with HIV/AIDS and/or Hepatitis C to live healthy and more productive lives.

To support health and quality of life through compassionate and culturally appropriate programs that are responsive and address the needs of those infected and affected by HIV and Hepatitis C. ACRC is dedicated to empowering clients, communities, and their partners through nutrition, education, prevention, consultation, and advocacy.

History

1988 A group of leading Stanford university physicians and researchers founded ACRC as a community-based agency providing access to new HIV/AIDS drugs available only through clinical trials.

1995 With the success of new drug treatments, ACRC began to provide HIV/AIDS direct services by doing street level outreach, triage, patient advocacy, drug treatment education, and HIV prevention.

1998 ACRC initiated the Living Now©, an HIV/AIDS peer education and training continuum of services, offering one of the most successful and renowned primary and secondary HIV/AIDS education prevention efforts in California.

1999 After discovering that over 80% of ACRC’s HIV positive clients were CO-infected with Hepatitis C (HCV), ACRC expanded its mission to address HCV health education and social services and developed the HCV Living Now© program. It remains the only Hepatitis c peer group education program in the nation.

2001 ACRC took over the HIV food program from catholic charities . Today we provide over 500 bags of groceries a week to those affected with HIV as well as $25,000 in Safeway vouchers in the last year. We currently have the only HIV food bank in San Mateo County.

2004 ACRC held its first gala auction fundraiser at the Kohl mansion in Burlingame CA

2005 ACRC held its second gala auction fundraiser at the Kohl mansion

2007 After seeing there was a need for client who were active drug users to obtain clean outfits and a general need for safe sex materials ACRC began it needle exchange program which serves about 1,200 clients a year providing clean syringes, condoms, and referrals to rehabilitation programs.

2009 ACRC took over the HIV drop-in center that was located inside Edision clinic at San Mateo General Hospital. We serve over 80 clients per week providing hot meals, computer access and referrals to other organizations.

2009 ACRC also converted its back store and parking area to a garden project called freshness to wellness providing fresh vegetables to the food program and the drop-in center.

TODAY ACRC continues to be dedicated to its clients providing services and referrals as needed despite budget cuts ACRC is continually working on new avenues of raising money to make sure that we will be here for our clients both current and future in years to come.

Board of Directors

Mariano Dagang, President
Community Member
San Carlos, CA
Home Phone: 650.591.2496
sunnydag@gmail.com
Board Member since April 2007
Board President since January 2008

Catherine Newell-Jackson, Secretary
SFPPC
Redwood City, CA
Home Phone: 650.367.9823
Cell Phone: 209.608.8327
cathynewell@sbcglobal.net
Board member since January 2006

Kevin Babeaux, Treasurer
CEO, Pink Spots LGBT Bay Area Directory
Belmont, CA
Tel: 650.598.0333
lan@alumni.duke.edu
Board Member since December 2009

Victor Hernandez, PHD
Harvard University
Cambridge, MA
Tel: 917.297.8056
vrch@post.harvard.edu
Board Member since March 2009

Ginny Warnes
Community Member
Redwood City, CA
Cell Phone: 650.369.0330
virginia.warnes@comcast.net
Board Member since March 2010

Joey Tranchina
Executive Director
AIDS Community Research Consortium
Redwood City, CA
Tel: 650.303.2446
jtranchina@mac.com
Board Member since September 2008

Staff