Programs & Services

Financial Assistance Fund

The Ribbon Community Financial Assistance Fund provides one-off support to better day-to-day life for people in our communities and address financial challenges associated with the inequities behind HIV stigma and HIV.

• Medical needs including prescription medications, mobility devices, dental care, and co-pays, that are not covered by the health care system, benefits from the Ministry, or other public funding
• Public transit, including the annual bus pass program for low-income seniors and/or replacement of a loss bus pass
• Identification, including fees associated with getting or replacing personal identification (Status Cards, PR cards, BC Care Cards, birth certificates), changing a gender designation or name, and passports
• Housing stability, including funds to avert an eviction, make a deposit payment for storage or market housing, pay rent arrears when there is an a plan to secure remaining funds, or prevent hydro or other services from being disconnected
• Gender-affirming care needs, not otherwise covered, including: packers, binders, and laser hair removal
• Access to culture, including culturally-specific food, registration fees for cultural activities and/or programs, culturally-specific celebrations, culturally-specific clothing, cultural medicines and cultural material
• Up to $50 towards phone bills, connection/set up fees or repairs, once per year, to a maximum of $50
• Heightened nutritional requirements during pregnancy and postpartum (up to $150 per trimester and one $150 payment during postpartum)

People living with HIV in British Columbia and current clients with case management or peer services are eligible for this program.

Kenneth Lackner Scholarship

This scholarship is named after Kenneth Lackner, who worked as a bookkeeping assistant when Ribbon Community was AIDS Vancouver. He is pictured above on the lefthand side of this picture taken during an outreach event in 1994. When Ken died in 2017, he generously gifted AIDS Vancouver funds for this scholarship. We are grateful to Kenneth for making this scholarship possible, and all his contributions.

This scholarship was initially administered by the LOUD Foundation. In 2023, AIDS Vancouver began administering the scholarship independently.

Applications open at the beginning of each calendar year, and are announced through our enewsletter, The Ribbon Insider, and on our social media.