It all started on November 1973, when a VD Clinic for gay men in conjunction with the Washington free clinic began in the Georgetown Lutheran Church's basement.

According to Whitman-Walker Executive Director Don Blanchon, "In the early '70s, during that time in our society, there were people who needed a safe place to go because they felt they were in the fringe on of mainstream society. Gay men led the groups. Gay men in D.C. felt like they needed a space to talk about being out. They had a safe space to talk about any problems they were having with alcohol and substance abuse or anything else. And they wanted to make sure they were tested and treated for any STDs they had. They often didn't want to go to their primary care doctor where they lived and they didn't want their employers to know that they were gay."

About three years later they needed a larger space and in 1978 they incorporated the WW clinic. The clinic included peer counseling, alcohol and substance abuse, and HIV and STD testing. WW was one of the first organizations to react to HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C., during the early 1980s.

The AIDS epidemic started hitting D.C. in force around 1983 and 1984. The clinic initially treated gay men. But during the early 1990s WW began treating, as Blanchon put it, "people from all parts of our community. Gay, straight, Black, brown, white, male, female."

Some of the primary medical care they now provide includes gynecological care and breast screenings for lesbian, bisexual women and certain transgender patients. WW provides hormone treatment and follow ups.

They also screen for anal cancer for gay and bisexual men. They also treat HIV-positive patients with medicine to ensure that infection won't happen after unprotected sex. Dental care is also offered, including exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, root canals, crowns, extractions, dentures and whitening. HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients are treated by the dentists.

Another program is called the "Red Carpet". The name is for WW's "rapid visits" system. This is for new patients who have been recently diagnosed with HIV or have had exposure to it. If they do not have insurance, a meeting with a public benefits coordinator is arranged and they will see if they qualify. If they are not eligible for public health insurance they are put on the sliding scale.

In two Youtube clips, on the WW website, Deputy Director of Community Health Meghan Davies and health educator Juan Carlos note that WW has had a mobile testing unit since 2004. Davies said each week, the mobile goes to between four and six sites. Some events are regularly scheduled and others are special events. There are literature and condoms given out to keep the patient and their partners safe. They have pre-test counseling, the test and post-test therapy. There is no charge for testing and all results and tests are kept confidential.

The OraQuick test is used, according to Carlos. First they write a code on the swab and give it to the patient. The patient is instructed to rub the swab on their upper and lower gums. Once this is done, it's put in a file. If the test is not reactive they will receive post counseling on how to stay safe. If it's reactive a blood test is administered and WW will provide care.

According to WW's Website they also have free legal aid for the LGBT community.

In 2010 WW cared for about 13,000 people who received health or health-related services, a 30 percent increase from 2009. There is a sliding scale. "We don't turn people away because they cannot pay," Blanchon said. If the patient is under 100 percent of the poverty level they have no financial obligation. For others, they pay on a sliding scale.

The demographics of WW clients are:

— Gender: 68% male 29% female 3% transgender

— Ethnicity: 47% Black, 35% white/Caucasian, 15% Latino/a, 3% other

— Age: 5% under 21, 33% 21-30 years, 24% 31-40 years, 21% 41-50 years, 12% 51-60 years, 5% 61 and older

— Orientation ( self-reported ) : 49 % LGB, 51% heterosexual/other

— HIV status: 22% positive

WW's 25th AIDS Walk was held Oct. 29, reaching its goal of $1 million. This is the annual goal reached since 1999. In 2008, the recession left a negative impact on the walk and other fundraising. They lost about $4 million for the second year in a row. According to Blanchon, around late 2007 and early 2008 they had some outstanding debt on their property. The note holders on the property needed their notes paid back and they didn't have the money. WW sold property to pay that debt.

In 2007 they lost $4 million on $25 million in revenue and in 2008 they lost another $4 million on $20 million operating revenue, according to Blanchon. The reasons were they started seeing more people for care as a community health center and grants and fundraising declined.

The property had their old administrative office, Medicaid day treatment program, community relations AIDS Walk space, a lesbian service program and their food bank, which was the last building on the property which was sold. "We ended up selling the entire property and consolidating the employees for the programs that we were going to continue," Blanchon said. "The whole process wasn't a programmatic issue on whether the food bank would stay or go, it was more of a matter of space, where they were going to move the whole property."

Blanchon said, "no business can go long term, even a non-profit with our history, by having expenses exceed their revenue every month. So we finally got that problem addressed. In 2009 we posted a much lower loss of about $750,00 on a $17 million revenue." Last year, they had approximately a $1.1 million gain on a little more than $20 million in revenue.

"We got ourselves to a place where we can run the operation where we have revenue to cover expenses each month. Now we're in a place where we got a business model that works and we can continue to provide community service," he said.

WW provides services concerning substances and drug abuse. The program is called Whitman-Walker Addiction Services. WWAS includes outpatient treatment with group therapy and one-on-one sessions. WWAS is lead by professionals and volunteers who are trained.

WW also offers housing to clients participating in the Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program. The organization offers daytime treatment to HIV/AIDS patients. Some of the things they help with are medical and or nursing issues, therapy and treatment assistance.

The Volunteer-Based Peer Support gives therapy by trained volunteers for LGBT and HIV/AIDS issues including coming out, leaving marriage, HIV relationships, gender identity and friends and family members. They also have men's individual counseling for gay and bisexual men.

Blanchon noted that WW existed before the HIV/AIDS era. "Our roots are in the LGBT community and so we still honor and respect that role," he said. "We will live in the role today and going forward we're going to be a place of care for the LGBT community regardless of HIV status."

See www.whitman-walker.org/.