Mississippi Agency Conducts Historic Ground Breaking Ceremony

[Photo: Group of participants holding shovels for the Ground Breaking.]
Ms. Augusta Toomer, center, participates in the Ground Breaking held for Augusta House.
The South Mississippi AIDS Task Force located in Biloxi, MS, received $935,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The funding was awarded to The AIDS Task Force as part of HUD's competitive funding process under its Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program. The funding was received in November 2000 for the construction of Augusta House, which will provide emergency shelter and transitional housing for low-income and homeless persons living with HIV disease. Housing will also be available to the families of HIV residents. The facility is presently under construction and, upon completion, will house 12 individuals and 2 families. Augusta House will be equipped with a kitchen, meeting rooms and a library.

Although the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provided critical and essential funding for Augusta House, the project also has the support of the Mississippi State Department of Health and thirty other organizations, including Open Doors Continuum of Care, which will provide supportive services for residents. Supportive services such as independent living skills training and personal money management education will greatly impact the quality of life of Augusta House residents.

Augusta House is named in honor of Ms. Augusta Toomer, a long time advocate of people living with HIV disease. Ms. Toomer, 89 years young, has provided numerous volunteer services to people living with HIV disease. In addition to providing valuable volunteer office support to the South Mississippi AIDS Task Force, Ms. Toomer spearheaded the receipt of donations of food, bedding, clothing and other necessities for people living with HIV disease. Ms. Toomer's staunch support of those stricken with HIV disease has also been demonstrated during her numerous trips to area pharmacies to pick up and deliver necessary medication to those unable to do so themselves.

 
Content Archived: July 8, 2011