For Aliveness, this represents approximately $450,000 annually that has supported HIV testing, outreach, linkage to care, and connections to PrEP. While reports indicate these funds may transition to Minnesota’s State Health Department, the uncertainty surrounding this change places critical community-based prevention services at risk.

The impact of this investment in Minnesota has been significant. Through this program, Aliveness administered 6,297 HIV tests, identifying 56 positive results, including 51 new HIV diagnoses. More than 96% of individuals who tested positive were linked to HIV medical care within 30 days, ensuring people received treatment quickly and improving both individual and community health outcomes. In addition, more than 6,100 HIV-negative participants were screened and referred for PrEP, connecting thousands of Minnesotans to one of the most effective tools available to prevent HIV.

These outcomes were possible because Aliveness meets people where they are. Aliveness Project provides HIV testing and prevention services not only in clinical settings, but also through mobile outreach, shelters, substance use treatment programs, bars and clubs, encampments, and community events. Many of the people we serve face barriers to accessing traditional healthcare, making trusted, low-barrier community services essential to ending the HIV epidemic.

The success of HIV prevention has always depended on strong partnerships between public health agencies and community-based organizations. Together, we have built decades of trust, expanded access to prevention and care, and reduced the number of people living with undiagnosed HIV. Preserving that infrastructure is essential to protecting the progress Minnesota has made.

“Let me say it the way Washington never will: these cuts mean more people will acquire HIV who did not have to, and more people will die who did not have to,” said Matt Toburen, Executive Director of Aliveness Project. “For the first time in 45 years, the end of this epidemic was within reach, and the federal government is choosing to drag us backward. They are walking away from the very work that finds people, connects them to care, and stops this virus from spreading. Aliveness is not going anywhere. We were born from a community that refused to be abandoned, and we will keep fighting for every person who walks through our doors.”

As responsibility for this funding shifts to the Minnesota Department of Health, we are hopeful that Minnesota will continue its long tradition of investing in community-based HIV prevention. We look forward to working with MDH to develop a thoughtful, community-centered plan that builds on decades of success and ensures experienced community-based organizations remain at the heart of Minnesota’s Plan to End HIV. The decisions made in the coming months will shape the future of HIV prevention in our state, and we are committed to partnering in that work to ensure no one is left behind.

Aliveness Project is calling on community members and advocates to make their voices heard. We have launched an action alert urging federal and state leaders to protect HIV prevention infrastructure and ensure Minnesota’s community-based organizations remain at the center of this work. Learn more and take action at our action alert

HIV prevention works. Community-based organizations are a critical part of that success. We cannot afford to lose the trusted relationships, expertise, and proven programs that have saved lives.

Minnesota’s local restaurants are facing unprecedented hardship due to the heightened federal immigration enforcement across the state. Fear and uncertainty have kept diners at home, and many businesses are at a breaking point.

Our local restaurants are more than just places to dine, they’ve been community hubs, supporters of local causes, and build a vibrant Minnesota. They are extending themselves as safe havens, places to find shelter, and a free hot meal even in the most challenging times.

HOW TO SUPPORT DOFL RESTAURANTS

• Leave a 5 Star Review
• Dine In or Pick Up
• Buy Gift Cards
• Ask Employees How to Help Their Team
• Share on Social Media

Dining Out For Life Restaurant List

• A Bar Of Their Own
• Abi’s Restaurant
• All Square
• At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Cafe
• Backstory Coffee
• Barbette
• Beast Barbecue
• Black Duck
• Black Hart of Saint Paul
• Book Club
• Boom Island Brewing Company
• Borough
• Brasa Rotisserie
• Brindisi’s Pub
• Butcher and the Boar
• Butter Bakery Cafe
• Centro
• Chilango
• Chloe By Vincent
• Clandestinos Venezuelan Food
• Copperwing Distillery
• Cuppa Java
• Eagle MPLS
• EaTo
• Elsie’s Restaurant, Bar & Bowling Center
• Estelle
• Fhimas Minneapolis
• Francis Burger Joint
• Giulia
• Granada Theater
• Hai Hai
• Hell’s Kitchen
• Hola Arepa
• Hyacinth
• Icehouse
• Ichigo Tokyo Crepes
• J. Selby’s
• JD Hoyts
• Joans in the park
• Juche St Paul
• Kyatchi
• Little Tijuana
• Luna & The Bear
• Lynette
• Lyon’s Pub
• Makwa Coffee
• Marke Bar-B-Que
• Marty’s Deli
• Mason Jar Kitchen & Bar
• Melting Pot
• Mill Valley Kitchen
• Milly’s Wine Bar and Bistro
• Milton’sV V B
• Mother Clucker’s Pizza
• moto-i
• Muffin Top Caf¿e
• Nico’s Taco’s
• Nightingale
• ninetwentyfive
• noa
• Nolo’s Kitchen & Bar
• Nonna Rosa’s
• Norseman Distillery
• Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub
• O’Brien’s Public House
• O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co.
• On The Rox
• P.S. Steak
• Pagoda
• Park Tavern
• Parlour Bar
• Pat’s Tap
• Petite Leon
• Pizza Karma
• Pizza Lucé
• Pizzeria Lola
• Pub 500
• Queermunity Cafe
• Relish
• Roxy’s Cabaret
• Sawatdee
• Silver Fern
• Starling
• Surly Pizza Upstairs
• The Boiler Room Coffee Co
• The Clapping Monkey House of Coffee
• The Dripping Root
• The Herbivorous Butcher
• The Lowbrow
• The New Uptown Cafe
• The Nicollet Diner
• The Saloon
• THE SAMPLE ROOM
• Tootie’s On Lowry
• Umbra Arts
• Urban Growler Brewing Company
• Victor’s 1959 Cafe
• Vivir
• Wise Acre
• 5-8 Club

Sherry met Cindy five years ago, in a support group for women living with HIV. At the time, Sherry was new to Minnesota and navigating stigma and fear. She didn’t know how to tell people about her diagnosis. 

Then she met Cindy.

“She just grabbed onto me,” Sherry told us. “We became friends. She was my go-to person.”

Cindy was diagnosed with HIV just weeks after giving birth to her son, Nicholas. Both she and Nicholas were HIV+. Nicholas lived for only three short years before passing away from AIDS. Cindy lived on, not just in grief, but in purpose. The same month she received her diagnosis, she became a member of Aliveness.

Cindy spent her life telling her story loudly and lovingly. When Sherry confided, “How am I supposed to tell people I have HIV?” Cindy: “Just tell them. You deserve to be free.”

Because of Cindy’s openness, Sherry began opening up too.
“My mama died knowing,” she said. “My children know and love me.”

What started as two women attending a group became a sisterhood that shaped their lives.

They carpooled to Aliveness.
They took writing classes together.
They went to bingo, bonfires, Duluth road trips, Dallas conferences, family cookouts, and HIV advocacy events.

“We were different people from different places,” Sherry said, “but we made each other feel safe. We didn’t blame life. We survived it together.”

“We became sisters instead of victims.”

Cindy passed away earlier this year, after 35 years of living with HIV. Her loss is deeply felt by everyone at Aliveness, but her impact remains everywhere, especially in Sherry.

Cindy never stopped advocating for women living with HIV, women who are too often left out of the story. She marched at the Capitol. She led Aliveness in good times and bad. She fought to keep our doors open. She shared Nicholas’s story so no other mother had to bury her child in silence. Cindy didn’t just shape our history, she is part of the reason we are still here today.

Towards the end of Cindy’s life she said, “My involvement with Aliveness over the years has been the best support I could ever have asked for and given me so many friends. My journey has been complicated but it’s mine. I want people to remember that I am more than a woman living with HIV.  I am a mother, a wife, an auntie, an educator, and advocate.  I have a wealth of knowledge and a heart of compassion. Nicholas was more than a child who lived with AIDS.  Nicholas was the light of my life.  He was my dream.”

Her heart now lives on at Aliveness.

Today, Sherry continues to show up for other women living with HIV, carrying forward the lessons Cindy gave her, openness, honesty, courage, and connection. Sherry is still here with a full, bright life ahead of her. She is still building community, still offering people the same compassion Cindy offered her.

Sherry told us, “Cindy made me realize it doesn’t matter what color you are, you can be friends and you can be family. I love her and I miss her everyday. I’m still here, and I’m still fighting.”

Thank you Sherry for keeping Cindy’s legacy alive and for helping us make sure no one is ever forgotten.

“I started in November of 2007,” he says, smiling. “I saw a flyer for the Holiday Basket Program and called on Monday. They told me to come in Wednesday morning, and I basically never left.”

That was 18 years ago. (Right before Thanksgiving to be exact)!

At the time, Galen had just retired from teaching middle school after 31 years in Wisconsin. He moved back to Coon Rapids to care for his mother after she suffered a stroke. Volunteering, he says, gave him purpose.

“When I retired, I wanted to do something that brought no financial or material gain to me,” he explains. “I never wanted to fill a paid staff position, I just wanted to help.”

When Galen first started at Aliveness, the food shelf was a small storage room, no fridges, no freezers, and no fresh food. “It used to be about the size of an office,” he laughs. “We’d pack grocery bags for members, maybe 45 pounds each, mostly canned and boxed items. Now? We’ve got milk, cheese, beverages, freezers full of frozen food, even pet supplies and toiletries.”

What hasn’t changed is the warmth of the space.

“Seeing the smiles on people’s faces, especially the first time they come through, it really warms the heart,” Galen says. “‘Can I really have four cans?’ they ask. Yes, you can! If someone doesn’t need something, they’ll leave it for someone else. There’s so much kindness in this community.”

Galen knows that food is medicine.

“Food keeps people healthier,” he says. “The body can’t fight HIV without nourishment. Some members don’t have a stove or even a can opener. So we keep food that’s easy to prepare, and we’ll give you a can opener if you need one. Whatever it takes to make sure you can eat.”

It’s that commitment that makes Aliveness’ food shelf more than a service — it’s a lifeline. Members often tell Galen, “This will keep me alive until next month,” or, “Now I can make my baby’s birthday cake.”

“That’s what it’s about,” Galen says. “Meeting the needs of people who are often overlooked.”

Eighteen years later, Galen is still here every Wednesday, cracking jokes, and giving hugs.

“I’ll stop volunteering,” he says with a grin, “when they tell me I can’t bring my walker in the food shelf.”

His hope for Aliveness’ future is simple: “That we keep growing, and that people keep funding this work. We can either pay for it now or pay for it later because if people don’t get food or medication, they end up in hospitals, and that’s far more expensive. We need to take care of people now.”

As Give to the Max Day approaches, Galen’s story reminds us why Aliveness exists.

When you give to Aliveness, you’re making sure our food shelf stays stocked, our members stay nourished, and our doors stay open.

Give today and keep the shelves full: https://www.givemn.org/organization/Alivenessmn 

When you walk into Aliveness Project on a busy afternoon, you can usually find Tom Bichanga somewhere in the kitchen serving members, joking with staff, or sitting in the dining room to make sure everyone feels at home. You may even catch him borrowing a wig from our Office Manager, Hanna, just to make someone laugh.

That’s Tom: our class clown, our cultural bridge, our heart of Aliveness.

Tom joined Aliveness back in 2010, starting as a condom distributor in the dining room. “By the end of this year, it’ll be 15 years,” he says with a grin. “No wonder I’m ready to retire!”

But over those 15 years, Tom has worn nearly every hat imaginable- from Prevention Coordinator, Case Management, Member Services, to Director of DEI and he runs our food programs! “As more programs came available I was the test victim to work them!” He jokes. His work has transformed not only Aliveness, but the way our community connects with African-born members living with or at risk of HIV.

“I lost close cousins to AIDS in Kenya,” Tom shares. “I wanted to understand why people who acquire HIV weren’t getting treated and why it wasn’t curable.”

Before moving to the U.S., Tom volunteered in Kenya distributing condoms and safer sex kits in schools. When he came to Minnesota more than 35 years ago, he continued that work through a local Kenyan organization, Mwanyagetinge, doing HIV prevention in the Twin Cities. Eventually, Tom joined Aliveness because he wanted to focus on the care side of HIV, not just prevention.

Tom became more than a staff member, he became a bridge.

Many members from the African-born community come to Aliveness asking “Is Tom here today?” They come because they trust him. They come because he speaks their language both literally and with compassion.

Tom recalls a member story,“I had this person who was here in the U.S. but still getting her HIV medication from Kenya. Once someone told us about that, I sent an outreach person who could show up when her family was not there so her privacy remained intact. We got her medication here in Minnesota, connected her to case management, she didn’t even know Aliveness existed. At first, she didn’t want to eat here, but because we both speak the same language, she trusted me. Now she still comes here.”

Stigma, fear, and isolation still keep too many people from care. “So many people call me from my community,” he says. “The rest of their community doesn’t know that they are HIV positive. They trust me to keep their status private.”

Hennepin County took notice of Tom’s success within African-born communities and asked him to build an entire program from the ground up. That program which Tom led for nearly a decade was instrumental for immigrants in MN.

“One of my proudest accomplishments was when the County came to us and asked Aliveness to do the work. We didn’t even write the grant, they just knew it needed to be here.”

Tom also built the BIPOC and DEI groups at Aliveness, leading an organization-wide access audit that made lasting changes. “We added gender-neutral bathrooms, lowered signage for wheelchair accessibility, we’ve helped make MLK Day and Juneteenth paid holidays.”

But ask Tom what his favorite moments are, and he doesn’t hesitate: “Member cookouts! You see how crazy I get? When members are dancing, I love it so much. I eat with members. If I’m not eating with them, I don’t eat. Members make me feel at home.”

Tom’s approach to HIV care has always been rooted in patience and understanding. “Sometimes people come in angry or scared. It’s not about you,” he says. “It’s about what they’re going through. You separate the person from their challenges. You humanize them.”

Even after he retires in January and returns to Kenya to run Biham School, a school he’s built with his sister, Tom’s legacy will live on here in the communities he uplifted, and the laughter he brought to every room.

“I’ve worked in many jobs,” Tom says, “but the one that’s been the most satisfactory is Aliveness Project.”

Fifteen years later, we couldn’t agree more.

Asante sana, Tom, thank you for being the bridge we’ve always needed.

Aliveness Project is proud to announce that we have been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Medica Foundation through their Strategic Initiatives program. This transformational investment will allow us to bring HIV prevention and care directly to our unhoused neighbors, expanding access to lifesaving services for those who need them most.

“This grant will give us the opportunity to target the highest at-risk populations, connecting them to care and helping to decrease new HIV infections in Minnesota. About 14% of all new HIV infections are among people who use drugs, and this innovative approach will help us reach those communities with the prevention and treatment services they deserve. Thank you, Medica Foundation!” said Matthew Hartle, Medical Director at Aliveness Project.

This innovative expansion will integrate clinical services into our harm reduction outreach, addressing critical gaps in HIV prevention care among unhoused and drug-using populations. By bringing healthcare directly into the community, we are removing barriers that have long kept people from accessing care, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to live healthy, dignified lives.

“I’m incredibly thankful to the Medica Foundation for their support to bring PrEP and rapid connection HIV care to those who need it most. I have been dreaming about providing this kind of care to our participants since the van began going out into the community!” Jay Orne, PhD Research Scientist and Harm Reduction Manager

This new initiative builds upon Aliveness Project’s ongoing commitment to community-based HIV prevention and harm reduction services. By integrating medical and pharmacy care directly into outreach, Aliveness will be able to offer on-site HIV testing, PrEP and PEP access, and medication support for people who may not have access to traditional healthcare settings.

“This is a transformative investment in equitable HIV prevention,” said Matt Toburen, Executive Director of the Aliveness Project. “Thanks to the Medica Foundation’s leadership and partnership, we can meet people where they are — bringing prevention, treatment, and hope to some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Aliveness Project thanks the Medica Foundation for recognizing the importance of investing in innovative, compassionate models of care. Together, we’re working toward a future where everyone has access to the healthcare they deserve.

“I had so much fun volunteering for DOFL,” Daniel says. “It’s like high school but without the bullies. Everyone feels safe, everyone can relax, The stigma isn’t there. It’s just people supporting each other.”

That night sparked more than just volunteerism; it became a lifelong relationship. So much so that on his wedding night, Daniel and his husband celebrated at Pizza Lucé because it was a DOFL restaurant. “We wanted our first night as a married couple to also give back,” he says.

Daniel also admits he has a soft spot for the DOFL Restaurant Guide (a list of all the restaurants in MN committed to helping Aliveness Project). “I love it so much,” he says. “As politics have gotten spicier in this country, it’s so nice to have a list of restaurants that are safe places in our state. It feels like a local version of the Human Rights Campaign Buyer’s Guide. As everything gets more and more polarized, it’s great to know which restaurants are friends to the queer community, HIV community, trans community, and beyond.”

But Daniel’s story with HIV advocacy started even earlier. Back in 2011, while working at the Minnesota AIDS Project, he crossed paths with Matt Toburen. “Matt asked me, ‘aren’t you a pharmacist?’ At the time I was only doing data work, but he helped me step into what I was meant to do.” When Matt later became Executive Director of Aliveness, Daniel knew the organization would thrive. “Aliveness are the cool kids in town,” he says. “A safe space for the HIV and gender-diverse population. Aliveness is a fantastic recipe.”

Today, Daniel is a Clinical Pharmacist at North Memorial Health Infectious Disease Clinic, bringing his expertise and compassion to people living with and at risk of HIV. He knows firsthand the challenges of navigating health systems  and the difference Aliveness makes.

“I can’t say enough about how great the Aliveness Benefits team is,” he says. “They’re the ones helping people navigate the system, keeping people insured, making sure people have access to PrEP, PEP, and treatment. It is such a challenge having to fill out confusing paperwork, getting your mail, the privilege of even having access to mail, having a home, ect. It is so hard to keep Medicaid open on your own. What if a family member is having an emergency? This can all be so challenging to keep track of alone, that’s why I am so thankful for Benefits Navigators.” Daniel adds, “Insurance coverage is the key to open the door to health. Medication is life. Medication is existence. Without it, everything becomes unaffordable, and people’s lives get shorter. If you don’t have access to medication, your immune system will get hurt and it will take more effort to heal yourself every time. The Benefits team is how we end the epidemic, by making sure everyone has access to care.”

Daniel is committed to advocacy. In college, he made a promise he would fight for his community. That promise eventually led him into pharmacy and HIV care. “Being born in 1983, the circumstances could have easily been me. These are my friends, my community. Those of us who are privileged have an obligation to fight for those who can’t.

So what does he hope for Aliveness? “Sustainability. Growth. Expansion into more underrepresented communities. Greater collaboration across nonprofits. And your new clinical services? That’s huge! For the queer and gender-diverse community, I can’t think of a place people would want to go more than here.”

From his first DOFL shift to shaping HIV care in Minnesota, Daniel Holt embodies what it means to give back with both heart and expertise. 

We know that with Daniel’s help we can create a healthier and more thriving community for all. 

Thank you, Daniel. We can’t do this without you.

To learn more about the Aliveness Benefits Team or if you need support navigating your insurance visit: aliveness.org/benefits-counseling

When David first walked through the doors of Aliveness Project in February of 2000, he was scared. He had just been diagnosed with HIV at 21, navigating life as a young man living with trauma, addiction, and fear. “It went from fear and terror,” he says, “to pride, activism, and acceptance.”

Now 25 years later, David isn’t just surviving, he’s thriving. He’s a longtime member, a 4 year kitchen volunteer, a public speaker, a published writer, and a source of kindness and patience for everyone he meets.

David’s journey with Aliveness began thanks to a card from the Red Door Clinic. Years later, after completing long-term treatment, he came back. This time, to give back! “Aliveness was the first place that helped me, so when I needed to volunteer, I knew where I was going,” he says. “I’m part of the HIV community. I want to give back to my community. Aliveness gives me a chance to do this. It makes me feel like a worthwhile person.”

David is the face of resilience. David lived through years of drug use, trauma, and homelessness. But he found strength in treatment and faith.

Today, David has been sober for over 17 years. He works at Burlington Coat Factory, volunteers at Aliveness, and is engaged to his partner Elliott who is also in recovery and a fellow member. “Being around David makes me sober,” Elliott says. “He doesn’t give up on people. He has a lot of patience.” David smiles, “He shows me how much he loves me. I’m his only one.”

For David, Aliveness has been life-saving. “I used the housing program and Every Penny Counts program. It was really really nice. When I was an addict, I would mess up my rent and my bills. Every Penny Counts saved me from myself, from getting fired, they helped me with my phone bill, getting first and last months rent, getting my deposit, ect. If not for them I would have been homeless or on the corner. They were amazing.”

David is a fierce advocate, whether speaking at schools or educating his Uber drivers. He has even successfully brought in a Lyft driver to get them tested!  “I tell people about PrEP, I tell people that it’s a preventative measure, it’s not a cure, it helps combat HIV.  I tell people that HIV is no longer a death sentence, it is an annoyance but not a plague.

His favorite memory? Helping write an anthology of stories by Aliveness members.

When asked what he’d tell someone newly diagnosed, David doesn’t hesitate: “There are tons of people with HIV and tons of people who don’t have HIV and who are accepting and positive and will love you regardless. It takes patience and understanding how people feel before and after they turn positive, give them grace and give yourself grace to live as a positive person. It’s okay to stumble and be afraid. Everyone does it differently. I’ve had HIV for 25 years and I haven’t gotten sick once. I take my meds religiously. I am undetectable. It might be terrifying right now but it is not the end of the world.” 

And his dream for Aliveness? “To keep growing. To reach more people. To expand into other cities because what Aliveness does is so important.

David, thank you for your voice and your heart. Your journey is proof that HIV doesn’t define a life. We are so lucky to get to be beside you. 

We can’t wait to see where you go next.

Read the full interview here → https://boldjourney.com/meet-kendall-mager/