DAP hosting ‘Health Equity Walk’ formerly known as ‘Desert AIDS Walk’
DAP Health is hosting its three mile ‘Health Equity Walk’ this Saturday. The event, formerly known as the, 'Desert AIDS Walk' kicks off at at 9 a.m. at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs.
Although they're changing the walk's name, DAP is sharing how they're continuing to provide HIV care while expanding their services.
"This was an opportunity to come together with people that were like minded, that were having the same situations, who had people that either had passed, or that are living with it," said DAP Health Director of Development, James Lindquist. "Also just to uplift us, knowing that we belong in the community."
DAP’s annual walk is personal for its participants, like Lindquist, who started as a client.
Beth Newton, with DAP health has also participated in the walk for almost three decades.
"New people come out, but some of the same ol’ people come out every year," said Newton.
With DAP's recent acquisition of Borrego Health they’re now serving more than 100,000 patients from all walks of life.
"How do we make it so that it's walk for everybody while not forgetting our past. Because what we have to remember, is that people living with HIV, we had the community come together and support us when nobody else would," said Lindquist.
DAP has expanded to 25 clinics throughout Southern California with locations as far as the Salton Sea and San Diego.
"That's why we're focusing on women and children, because now we're serving over 70,000 women and children. We're adding LGBT care, mental health, working on ending epidemics, and HIV," adds Lindquist.
This year’s health equity walk will feature a variety of health resources, while honoring the community they first served.
"We’re going to have the AIDS Memorial Pavilion, where we're asking people to bring pictures of people who have either passed or still living with HIV. We’ll also have people taking about their experiences," said Lindquist.
This year’s walk will help DAP offer the following services, "Funding for people who are homeless or need house housing vouchers or they need gas cards or they need food cards," says Lindquist.
It’s a community walk with an open invitation to all, in hopes of benefitting all.
You can still register to walk or volunteer at this year’s health equity walk by clicking HERE.
