Chesney-Kleinjohn
Housing, Inc.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIDS Walk Colorado HelpsChesney-Kleinjohn Housing, Inc.February 28, 1996 -- Out Front You and your friends have walked for years in AIDS Walk Colorado and helped to raise millions of dollars. But where does it all go? Enter AIDS Walk Colorado Helps, a new feature in Out Front Colorado. We all know that Colorado AIDS Project (CAP) produces AIDS Walk Colorado, but not many of us know that dozens of other HIV & AIDS service and education providers throughout Colorado also benefit from what is the largest AIDS fund raising event in the state. In 1995, for example, CAP distributed funds from AIDS Walk Colorado to 39 other outstanding HIV & AIDS service and education providers throughout the state. CAP continues to provide this opportunity as a community service. Starting with this issue you will read about the many diverse organizations that benefit from your support of AIDS Walk Colorado. With this series, we will provide you with specific examples of how your dollars are being used while providing the agencies with a forum in which to tell their story. NOTE: An article about an agency that has benefited from previous AIDS Walks does not guarantee acceptance as a benefiting agency for AIDS Walk Colorado 1996. The honor of the first organization to be highlighted in this column goes to the number one fund raising team of a benefiting agency from AIDS Walk Colorado, 1995 - Chesney-Kleinjohn Housing, Inc. (CKH). The Chesney-Kleinjohn team raised $20,369.70. Like many meaningful projects, CKH began with a dream. When Keith Chesney's partner, Ray Kleinjohn, was stricken with AIDS, Keith was able to care for him in their home until Ray's death in November 1991. Keith realized that not all persons with AIDS had the resouces they had, and thus began his concern and dream for housing for persons with HIV and AIDS. Keith died in September 1993 before his dream could be realized. He did, however, leave his and Ray's entire estate to be used as seed money for this project. Chesney-Kleinjohn Housing was founded to be the steward of Keith's and Ray's hope of affordable independent living for persons with HIV and AIDS. A group of Keith's and Ray's friends got together shortly after Keith's death to discuss what to do with the money and how to move forward. The group soon developed a game plan and received approval from Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) to operate under their non-profit status. The first tangible result of the extremely long hours and several "miracles" was the groundbreaking for the project, which took place last fall. On another front, the Denver Mayor's Office of HIV Resources Coordination commissioned a study to assess AIDS housing needs in the metropolitan area. The conclusion of this study was that "independent living facilities are inadequate" and that "independent housing is the greatest need in Denver now and into the foreseeable future." Respondents to surveys identified many characteristics of desirable housing, most of which can be summed up in the following quotation: "a place that I can call 'home' - a place where I can live throughout the course of my illness." Brent Rose, project consultant, and Karen Klein, vice chair and treasurer of the CKH board, took us on a Valentine's Day hard hat tour of the facility. The building sits on a lot that have been vacant for well over a decade. The design for the building, located at 10th and Washington, is handsome, unobtrusive and fits into the national historically-designed neighborhood nicely. Plans call for the building to include more than 50 exterior windows to provide and abundance of natural light. There are eight one bedroom and nine two bedroom units and each of the 17 apartments comes with its own parking space. The attention to detail is extraordinary, including:
To qualify for a CKH apartment, tenants must have a diagnosis of HIV disease and meet income guidelines. For More Information Contact: |
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