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Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc., (UHU) was founded in 1985 by Rainey Cheeks with the support of his friends. All of them were African-American gay or bisexual men. Rainey's motivation for starting the organization was the experience of losing numerous friends to AIDS, the death of his lover to the illness, and the discovery that he was HIV-positive. UHU began as a group of volunteers that provided holistic health information for people living with HIV/AIDS. The strategy was to teach traditional natural holistic approaches -- involving the body, mind and spirit -- for HIV health maintenance. In 1988, UHU registered as a nonprofit corporation in the District of Columbia. There were four incorporators: Rainey Cheeks, Prem Deben, Aundrea Scott and Howard Morris. UHU meetings were held at the legendary discotheque, the Clubhouse, where Rainey worked as the manager. When the Clubhouse closed in 1990, Rainey moved the organization's activities into his home. He and Prem Deben designed a curriculum for a 12-week holistic health support group that taught the participants holistic techniques such as: internal cleansing, diet and nutrition, vitamin and herbal therapies, spiritual development, mind/body dialogue, stress management, exercise, and the cultivation of sexual energy for personal health and healing. In 1992, Ron Simmons, a member of the support group, volunteered to serve as the executive director of the organization. He and Rainey developed a strategic plan to reorganize the board of directors, expand the program and raise funds. The Board of Directors approved a mission statement that advocated "holistic therapies as a complement to drug therapy and as an important factor in the quality of life of persons with HIV/AIDS." The organization's total revenue for 1992 was approximately $8,000. In 1993, UHU rented a two-bedroom house at 819 L Street, NE, as its first official facility. Over the years, UHU would expand to six rented properties in a four-block area. In 1994, UHU received its first Ryan White Title I grant to provide peer-led support groups for HIV-positive black gay and bisexual men. In 1995, in response to the urging of HIV-negative black gay men, the Board of Directors expanded the mission of UHU to provide programs for men regardless of HIV status. In 1996, the D.C. Agency For HIV/AIDS awarded UHU a grant to target HIV prevention programs for black gay and bisexual men. In 1998, UHU initiated the "Down Low" HIV help line for men who have sex with men but self-identify as heterosexual. The "Down Low" help line became a model program recognized by national media and featured in the New York Times. In 1999, UHU received direct-funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to provide HIV prevention activities for black gay and bisexual men in Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland, northern Virginia and northeast West Virginia. In 2000, UHU conducted the second-largest needs assessments in the country focusing on black and Latino transgenders, and started a HIV prevention program for transgenders. Also in 2000, UHU received a CDC grant to provide HIV prevention activities in barbershops targeting black men regardless of sexual orientation. In 2001, UHU was awarded a CDC grant to provide HIV counseling and testing for men and women. Also in 2001 UHU was awarded a five-year grant by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to provide psychotherapy for HIV-infected black gay/bisexual men and transgender persons. In 2002 UHU initiated the "Down Low" Online, an innovative project that provided HIV education, risk reduction information and referrals to black gay/bisexual men using the Internet. Beginning in 2003, UHU started receiving funding from the State of West Virginia to provide HIV prevention programs targeted to the black communities of Jefferson and Berkeley counties. The West Virginia program has resulted in collaborations with local churches, barbershops, beauty shops, retailers, the NAACP and the Masonic Lodge. In 2004 UHU was awarded a grant by the Academy for Educational Development to reduce HIV-related stigma. For that grant, UHU conducted community forums, developed a curriculum on homophobia and produced two video documentaries on HIV-related stigma and homophobia in the black community. Also in 2004 UHU was awarded a five-year grant by the CDC to conduct rapid HIV counseling and testing, the Popular Opinion Leader intervention and the Many Men, Many Voices intervention. In 2005 UHU was funded by the DC Department of Health to adapt and tailor the Many Men, Many Voices intervention for transgender persons; the resulting intervention was called "Girl Talk." In September 2001, UHU purchased a building at 3636 Georgia Avenue, NW, and became the first gay-identified black agency in the history of the District of Columbia, and possibly the nation, to purchase property for a new headquarters and service facility. UHU renovated the building to make it a state-of-the-art service facility and move into it in March 2005. Since 1992, Dr. Ron Simmons, the President/CEO of UHU, has raised over $14 million for its programs and services. Under his leadership, UHU has become the premier AIDS services agency specializing in HIV prevention and support services for black gay/bisexual men and transgender persons in the metropolitan Washington area. UHU is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the DC HIV/AIDS Administration, the Washington AIDS Partnership, the Public Welfare Foundation and individual donations. Presently UHU has 19 full-time staff, 10 part-time staff and over 50 registered volunteers. The annual budget is approximately $2 million. All of our programs and services are free.