"No Place Like Home" for Those Living with HIV/AIDS

“No Place Like Home” is not only the fundraising campaign for SAVE Inc. but also an anthem for those living with HIV/AIDS. SAVE Inc. is dedicated to securing housing and services to those living with HIV/AIDS. “The goal is not to just put a roof over someone’s head but to provide a home”, said Mark Anderson Executive Director for Save Inc.

SAVE Inc. serves seven counties in Missouri and four counties in Kansas which include the greater Kansas City, Missouri and Johnson County, Kansas metropolitan areas.

Having a choice in one’s housing is critical, especially for those living with HIV/AIDS. “There is a link between the housing status and the healthcare of those living with HIV/AIDS,” said Anderson. SAVE Inc. has found that stable housing results in greater stability in healthcare and medication for those with HIV/AIDS.

SAVE Inc.’s programs address the various needs of their clients and include: Emergency Housing, Rental Assistance Due to Medical Crisis, Housing Assistance, Resident Services, Housing Resources, Transitional Housing, Permanent Housing, Permanent Supportive Housing, and Shelter Plus Care.

Cropsey Place is located in Kansas City, Missouri and offers transitional housing for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

SAVE Inc. is able to serve those in need as a result of various funding sources including but not limited to HUD programs such as: Housing Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA), Shelter Plus Care (S+C) and Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG) and Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities.

Gilligan Home, named in memory of Gerald Gilligan one of the founders of Save Inc., offers transitional housing for homeless families with children living with HIV/AIDS. This program was recognized as a model supportive housing demonstration project by HUD.

Cropsey Place provides twenty-four, one-bedroom apartments for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Crosepy Place is a recipient of HUD’s Section 811 program which allows persons with disabilities to live as independently as possible by funding the rental housing with the availability of supportive services.

Gilligan Home is located in Kansas City, Missouri and offers transitional housing for homeless families with children living with HIV/AIDS.

In March of 2007 HUD Region VII Regional Director Macie Houston announced that SAVE Inc., in partnership with Johnson County Housing Services, received two HUD grants totaling $149,280. The funds will allow for four S+C vouchers within the Johnson County area and one voucher for a chronic homeless person living with HIV/AIDS. This type of long term housing enables homeless individuals to obtain critically needed health care and social services.

The mission of SAVE Inc. began in 1986 when SAVE Home was opened by community volunteers who recognized the stigma that was attached to those living with AIDS. Those afflicted were often forced from their employment which resulted in a loss of income. Many with the virus were often estranged from family and friends and thus losing their support systems. SAVE Home became the first residential hospice in the State of Missouri that was exclusively for AIDS patients.

Over the last 20 years SAVE Inc. has renovated or built eight additional structures and now offers 75 residential units at its midtown, scattered-site complex. In addition to providing subsidized housing, SAVE Inc. provides housing-related assistance. These monumental efforts have resulted in SAVE Inc. becoming the most comprehensive source for those afflicted with HIV/AIDS and in need of a place to call home. Visit the SAVE Inc. webpage.