Legendary entertainer Jerry Lewis will continue his battle against muscular dystrophy this Labor Day weekend on his 43rd Labor Day Telethon to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association beginning at 9 pm EDT on Sunday August 31 airing for 21½ hours.

Financing allows Milwaukee AIDS clinic to support new patients, new services

A $500,000 construction loan from Forward Community Investments to the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW) more than doubled the service capacity of a Milwaukee AIDS clinic. The project responded to rapidly increasing demands created by the closing of three other major HIV health care clinics.

"The long-term social impact of this project will be considerable," said Salli Martyniak, Forward Community Investments president.

The high-traffic Milwaukee clinic offers comprehensive patient care and social services to thousands of Wisconsin residents. Since renovations completed, the clinic has served 20% more medical patients and 25% more dental patients due to increased space and efficiency within patient areas.

"The enhanced Medical Center draws patients from across Wisconsin," said Mike Gifford, ARCW executive vice president and chief operating officer. "The space and resources reflect our commitment to be a center for excellence in delivering quality care."

The financing increased the number of medical and dental exam rooms and added space for patients to meet with staff about social services, housing counseling and legal assistance. The project also enhances workflow in the downstairs food pantry.

The Milwaukee clinic serves people in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties. In 2007, it served 848 medical patients, 1142 dental patients and 196 mental health patients. Many of its patients are at or below the federal poverty level and often have no payer source for health care.

"We are proud to play a part in improving access to affordable health care for underserved populations," said Martyniak. "This project reflects our mission of helping nonprofits achieve successful growth while enhancing their level of service to the community."

The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin is a nonprofit health and social service organization that provides a variety of services to Wisconsin residents affected by HIV disease. ARCW has nine offices throughout Wisconsin.

Forward Community Investments expands the financial capacity of Wisconsin nonprofits through low-cost flexible financing and technical assistance. Since its inception in 1994, Forward Community Investments has disbursed more than $13 million to nonprofits whose mission is to benefit low- and moderate-income people and disadvantaged communities throughout Wisconsin. More information is available online at www.forwardci.org.