In 1986, four friends (John Mohr, Ron Rose, Scott Barry, and Rick Ewing) saw a community in crisis and refused to look away. People living with HIV needed care, and they needed it "now"- free of red tape, free of judgment, and free of cost. They built it themselves and called it Being Alive.

40 Years later, Being Alive continues to provide life-changing wellness services that treat people like people, not statistics. From our groundbreaking harm reduction center to our accessible mental health program and our pottery studio, which has been with us since the beginning, Being Alive doesn't just help people survive; it helps them thrive.

On September 12th, 2026, Being Alive celebrated its anniversary with "40 Years of Being Alive," an event that included performances by Broadway stars Marissa Jaret Winokur, Laura Bell Bundy and Kerry Butler and an award ceremony honoring Bruce Vilanch, Morgan Fairchild, and Joseph Leahy for their commitment to the HIV community.

Our anniversary was a major milestone for Being Alive which has not put on a major event in over 10 years. This celebration was made possible by our numerous sponsors.

Want to learn more about Being Alive? Click here!

Current Sponsors

Spirit of Hope Sponsor

Barry Weiss

Platinum Sponsor

Kaiser Permanente

Gold Sponsor

Mark Bard, recognized by Wendy Arnold

Silver Sponsor

Host Committee

Jamie Baker & Jose Reyes

Jason Frazier & Lee Walters

Phil Gaddy

William Leahy

40 Years of Being Alive

Four Decades of Action. Celebrating our History