As someone who has been living with HIV for 40 years, I can tell you that it is not an easy journey.

We are looking to fill two AmeriCorps positions for the September 2022 – May 2023 term.

At Lifelong, we believe in health for all. We must continue to acknowledge and learn from the historic and ongoing systemic injustices faced by Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States, while honoring their immeasurable contributions. As the fastest growing racial group in the U.S., they represent an emerging and priority community with unique health challenges and needs.

As a newly minted internal medicine physician, I found myself working in the cancer wards of a rural hospital in Rwanda. Despite our innovative approach to working in a resource limited setting, I quickly learned the long-term impact of inequities stemming from colonialism, structural violence, and other socioeconomic injustices.

Did you know an estimated 1.4 million adults identify as transgender in the U.S.? National Transgender HIV Testing Day (NTHTD) was observed on April 18th, illuminating the importance of routine HIV testing, status awareness, and HIV prevention and treatment.

This past year, 876 volunteers donated 24,000 hours to support our critical work, which offset more than $684,960 in program costs that we rely on to continue providing medically tailored meals and culturally relevant grocery bags, safe and stable housing, and other critical health services to thousands of neighbors facing illness and poverty.

As we all age, we’re prone to chronic conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and strokes. Healthy eating, exercise, and regular medical check-ups can help prevent many of these ailments, but only if you have access. Nutritious food is one thing that can go a long way to prevent you from developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

For people living with serious illnesses like diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, and HIV, it’s vital to have access to nutritious food to better manage their illness and reduce symptoms, but for those who can’t access healthy food that’s tailored to their medical needs, they risk seeing their health decline further or worse: it can end up costing them their life.

The pandemic showed us that our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work is more crucial than ever. We must advance our agency, both internally and externally, to support the people in our community whose health and lives depend on us to dismantle these racist systems right here in Washington State.

Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History designates a theme for Black History Month. It’s not surprising that 2022 is Health and Wellness, which is especially important as we enter into the third year of coping with the impacts of COVID-19, as well as February also being American Heart Month.

Join our team of people dedicated to improving health for all! When you work at Lifelong, you become part of our mission to remove barriers to health with relentless compassion so no one faces illness and injustice alone. Check out our current list of opportunities and hear from Max, a longtime staff member, on why he loves working at Lifelong.

I recently came across a medical report that stopped me in my tracks. I had seen it before, but its implications to today are goosebump-inducing. It was dated June 1, 1981 – an article from the CDC reporting five patients with Pneumocystis pneumonia. It was the first published report of the AIDS pandemic.

I’ve been inspired by my time at Lifelong and humbled to see everyone’s shared dedication to this organization and our community. It is with a heavy heart that I announce I’ll be stepping down from my position as CEO of Lifelong.

As a housing case manager, I help people experiencing homelessness every day to find permanent, safe housing. They often come to our Tiny House Village with a small carload of belongings or even just a backpack after being unhoused for years, sometimes decades.

Whether you make a donation, volunteer with us, get a ‘Health for All’ shirt, shop at our Lifelong Thrift Store, or make notes for clients this holiday season, you will be making a difference in the lives who need it most.

Latinx communities are disproportionately affected by COVID, other serious illnesses, and poverty. As racism continues to be a public health crisis, we’ve been working with organizations in our area to better fight for those facing illness and injustice alongside those who work closest with those communities.

“My best friend Sylvan did a drawing of a boat. When he gave it to me, he asked if I would make a carved boat for his ashes when he passed. He died a month later from AIDS-related complications.”

As our community continues to become more diverse, our food and nutrition program, Chicken Soup Brigade, has been hard at work to provide more culturally-relevant meal options.

Alex has participated in our annual Seattle AIDS Walk event for the past two decades and donates to support our vital health services, and recently signed up to deliver nutritious food and our quarterly home essential kits to neighbors in the greater Seattle area, but even so, he wanted to do more to give back.

Cigna has been one of our valued partners for the past two years, volunteering to support our food and nutrition program, Chicken Soup Brigade, which provides as many as 10,000 medically-tailored meals and nutritious groceries a week to more than 2,500 people living with serious illnesses.

Aleksa Manila has been a staple of entertainment and joy at Lifelong’s events and the Seattle LGBTQ+ community over the years, and for good reason. Not only is she an award-winning and talented entertainer, she’s also a fierce advocate for social justice work.

Charlie Anthe, a longtime Lifelong supporter, lives by one mantra: putting people first. He’s been giving back to Lifelong for almost two decades to help those who are living with HIV, honoring his best friend who died of AIDS.

Rissel Guzman, Lifelong’s Dental Program Manager, is a compassionate health advocate for her clients at work and after-hours. Rissel’s team provides access to oral health care for about 1,500 people living with HIV in King, Island, and Snohomish counties.

We recently sat down with Paul Park, Lifelong’s Chief Mission Officer, to learn more about him and his new role within the organization.

Over the last year and a half, many have faced reduced hours and layoffs due to COVID—our clients included, but those challenges have also presented opportunities for some to finally reach for their dreams, like Lifelong client, Renne Duran-Galvis.

Listen to Warren Leyh, Director of Clinical Services, on Warm 106.9’s podcast as he reflects on 40 years of AIDS in America and how HIV activism advanced health equity.

31 years ago this month (July 26, 1990), the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, was signed into law. It fundamentally changed our society to be more inclusive of people with disabilities.

After Stephanie’s older brother, Freddy, died of AIDS in the 1990s, her parents, husband and kids all wanted to continue to help people living with HIV around Seattle, where they were raised.

Hear from five of our staff members on how they celebrate Pride!

We recently chatted with Warren Leyh, Director of Clinical Services, on his work, the resilience he sees in the people he serves, and what Pride means to him.

We recently chatted with Noelle Summers, Emergency Housing Case Manager, on her work, the resilience she sees in the people she serves, and what Pride means to her.

We recently chatted with Beau Butler, Prevention Program Manager, on his work, the resilience he sees in the people he serves, and what Pride means to him.

As a closeted queer kid in Eastern Washington growing up in the early aughts, my exposure to HIV education was…limited to say the least. In middle school, a health teacher told my class that we shouldn’t share lip balm “because you might catch AIDS.”

At Lifelong, we know we’re stronger when we work together. That’s why we’ve partnered with Wasat and local Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) chefs during Ramadan, which began April 12, to make and deliver iftar meals and culturally-relevant groceries for Muslim neighbors in need.

While most Washingtonians are now eligible for the COVID vaccine, the past few months have been a learning experience and a challenge for many seniors and people living with disabilities.

As we celebrate National Volunteer Week, we are taking an opportunity to recognize and appreciate those who have given their time, dedication, and heart to our community, especially in the past year.

Once again, we find ourselves mourning the tragic lives lost due to racism in our country…

For many of us, our lives have drastically changed in the past year. We’ve been forced to re-evaluate our routines, we’ve started cooking more at home, and we’ve learned new information about our health…

March is National Nutrition Month, an opportunity to learn more about healthy foods and make informed choices in the kitchen and at the grocery store…

Friday, February 12 is Hunger Action Day in Washington State, an opportunity for organizations like Lifelong to talk about access to healthy food with elected officials…

In 2005, Greg weighed a mere 108 lbs. One morning, he got out of the shower, looked in the mirror, and realized he was just skin and bones…

It is natural during these times to feel overwhelmed and discouraged by the magnitude of change needed in our country and fearful of the days ahead. But there are reasons for hope…

Bring help, hope, and home to neighbors living with serious illnesses this holiday season and all year long…

Nellie was struggling. She lost her sister earlier this year due to diabetes, she was on the verge of losing her house with nowhere else to go, and she couldn’t afford healthy food to manage her own diabetes…

Every 4 days, a Black and Latinx person is diagnosed with HIV in WA State…

Emmanuel and Greg understand more than most how life’s storms can blow you off course. In just one year, Emmanuel had to say goodbye to his father, his nephew who he’d been raising, and his mom…

Volunteer Delivery Driver James has seen the effects of the COVID-19 crisis hitting neighborhoods like his firsthand…

Lifelong’s Food and Nutrition program, Chicken Soup Brigade, is now producing up to 10,000 meals weekly and delivering to hundreds more medically vulnerable and homebound neighbors during the pandemic…

The great thing about virtual events is there’s no hassle to drive there, find parking, and then drive yourself back home afterwards!…

As someone who grew up gay and Mormon in the center of Utah, I had no sense of what it meant to be gay, other than the horror stories I heard about gay people and the parodies I saw on television…

Throughout recent months, our region has faced enormous challenges. PCC Community Markets has been working behind the scenes to support our community in a number of ways…

As one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in the country, founded long before alternative diets were the norm, we’ve always relied on a strong community to help us thrive…

As a physician, I have seen first-hand how epidemics disproportionately affect people from already marginalized communities. I was at the frontline of the AIDS epidemic…

When I was diagnosed with HIV in 1984, many doors were closed to me and my friends. For years, I’ve stuck my foot out every day to get them opened again…

The coronavirus has caused concern and angst in our community and we want to make sure that Lifelong continues to be a source of support for you in this trying time…

Lifelong is outraged by the recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless other Black lives that have been cut short by police brutality and white supremacy…

As dedicated supporters of Lifelong, we wanted you to know how our organization is responding to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and the effect it may have on our services and clients…

Your support of both Lifelong and our food and nutrition program, Chicken Soup Brigade (CSB), allows us to advance our mission of helping to improve the health and well-being…

We are reaching out to ask that you take action today and connect with your state Senator asking them to Vote YES for the Modernizing the Control of Certain Communicable Diseases bill, or ESHB 1551…

Lifelong's High Acuity Response Team (HART) supports our most vulnerable clients who have the greatest barriers to care. Isolation, mental health, and chronic homelessness are just a few of the obstacles…

At Lifelong, we believe that housing is healthcare because we see firsthand how someone’s health is impacted by a home…

During the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, there was no local or federal government support, so the community came together to provide donations to help people living with HIV…

World AIDS Day is an annual campaign on December 1 to raise awareness and pay tribute to people affected by and living with HIV. As an organization that was founded in 1983, in the beginning of the AIDS epidemic…

As the weather gets colder and people pull their winter coats and sweaters out from the backs of their closets, many of our clients are without essential warm items…

Lifelong and Whole Foods Market share the goal of making healthy foods more accessible to the community. Within Lifelong’s Chicken Soup Brigade (CSB) program, we believe that food is medicine…

As we celebrate Pride and honor the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, we also wanted to highlight one of our Lifelong staff members and their history in the LGBTQ community…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and while every individual could benefit from mental health resources, individuals living in poverty while dealing with serious illness…

Since Lifelong was founded, volunteers have been an integral part of our community. Not only do staff members rely on them, but so do our clients…

Imagine trying to sleep every night without a roof over your head to shelter you from the rain and being unable to lock a door to keep you safe. This is a reality for thousands of people living within King County…