The Ministry of Caring in Wilmington has received a federal grant to support low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS.
The $790,298 grant given by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will fund services administered at the Ministry of Caring’s House of Joseph II, a residence for men and women with HIV and AIDS. The house provides a number of services, including dental, nutritional, and end-of-life care.
Mark Poletunow, deputy director of the Ministry of Caring said that the grant goes a long way to help bring stability to the lives of people infected by the disease.
“Often with individuals who have HIV/AIDS, a lot of issues begin to go out of whack in their lives, like diet, medications, and even issues of having a stable, supportive environment," said Poletunow.
Poletunow added that providing services at the house is an extremely costly endeavor, but being able to give that round-the-clock service makes a major difference for residents.
“We’ve had dozens of people who have died with the disease there at that residence," said Poletunow, "and for those individuals, it created a place where they could die with dignity, respect and with love around them.”
Numerous studies have shown that stable housing can tremendously improve quality of life for individuals living with the disease and reduce rates of transmission. There are more than 3,500 Delawareans living with HIV or AIDS, according to the Delaware Department of Health and Human Services. Delaware has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the country, due to its position along the I-95 corridor.
This is HUD’s third renewal of the Ministry of Caring’s program to serve residents at the House of Joseph II, and will help extend the house’s services for another three years.
