The CARES Foundation is dedicated to improving the health of the Sacramento region by providing grants to organizations working to treat and prevent HIV/AIDS. They focus on supporting stable, well-managed organizations that have a proven impact on HIV prevention and care, with a commitment to ending discrimination and stigma for those living with HIV/AIDS. Their mission emphasizes not only the care for individuals with HIV but also the prevention of its transmission, highlighting the unique challenges of the disease.
The grant program from the CARES Foundation supports projects in the greater Sacramento area that focus on HIV/AIDS. It aims to fund organizations involved in various activities such as HIV prevention (needle exchange, condom distribution, PrEP), support services (substance abuse treatment, transportation, patient navigation, case management, housing assistance), HIV testing with linkage to care, and education and training about STD/HIV for the community and medical providers. The Foundation also prioritizes innovative projects that address the HIV impact, particularly on underserved populations like youths, Latinos, African Americans, and the Transgender community. Equal consideration is given to requests that address either prevention or care, with a strong emphasis on finding and treating those infected with HIV.