“Chicago gay health center gets cash to stay open - Chicago Sun-Times”

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Chicago gay health center gets cash to stay open - Chicago Sun-Times Posted: 24 Dec 2010 09:38 PM PST Chicago gay health center gets cash to stay open Dec 25, 2010 02:30AM The financially troubled Howard Brown Health Center will remain open after receiving more than $650,000 in donations during a rigorous 50-day campaign, officials said. The 36-year-old agency is one of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender health centers and services more than 36,000 people a year from its Chicago-based multi-site operation. The center accrued roughly $3 million in debt because of past mismanagement, and had to re-pay more than $500,000 "very quickly" as a result of transfers of grant funds between Howard Brown and Northwestern University Medical Center, said Jamal M. Edwards, Howard Brown's president and CEO. "We are looking to the future now," Edwards said Friday. "It's not all completely behind us, but we made a very good step." The center announced Thursday that 1,400 donors contributed $650,000 during the nearly two-month "Lifeline Appeal" campaign. On Nov. 4, an anonymous donor gave $200,000 and Walgreens added $25,000 on the last day, officials said. A plaque with the names of each "Lifeline Appeal" donor will be on display in the lobby of the Howard Brown Health Center, 4025 N. Sheridan Road. Howard Brown board chairman Mark Andrews credited a grassroots effort that included small fundraising parties and Facebook outreach pages. "There was a lot of support from the community and staff," Edwards said. "I can't tell you how much effort our staff put into this. I've been around a lot of non-profits, but I've never seen one where the staff takes charge and executes as part of their daily life for 50 days." Howard Brown has its main health and research center at the TRIAD Health practice at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center on the North Side. The organization also operates the Broadway Youth Center and three Brown Elephant resale shops in Chicago and Oak Park. "We‚ve been around 36 years -- since 1974. Yesterday, I got the pleasure of announcing we will see 37," Edwards said. Sun-Times Media Wire This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php Five Filters featured site: So, Why is Wikileaks a Good Thing Again?. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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