SINCE 1989, AID AND COMFORT HAS RAISED PRIVATE FUNDS TO HELP THOSE LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS IN NEW MEXICO PAY THEIR MEDICAL BILLS. WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN HOPEFUL ADVANCES IN THE TREATMENT OF HIV/AIDS, THE SIDE EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM TREATMENT AND THE MUTABLE CHARACTER OF THE VIRUS MAKE OUR MISSION MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER. THE PROCEEDS FROM OUR GALA PROVIDE OUR MAJOR SOURCE OF REVENUE. DUE TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SECURITY THAT NO ELIGIBLE PERSON WILL BE DENIED MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF AN INABILITY TO PAY.

In 1989, in response to the AIDS crisis and with compassion for those temporarily unable to pay for health care related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, a small volunteer group of concerned Santa Feans organized the first AID and Comfort Gala event as a way to raise both public awareness in the community and much needed funds. The Gala event, held during the Christmas season, quickly grew into one of the most successful community based AIDS fundraising events in New Mexico. All funds raised were made available to clients through the AID and Comfort Fund of Visiting Nurses Services Inc. of Santa Fe (VNS).
In the years 1989 through 1994, VNS provided staff and resources to assist the AID and Comfort volunteers in staging the Gala event and related activities. VNS received the funds raised and administered the AID and Comfort Fund in accordance with guidelines developed by the AID and Comfort Steering Committee and the staff of VNS. The guidelines specify that funds be used only to pay for direct medical expenses of people living with HIV/AIDS. In early 1995, VNS management indicated that the success of the AID and Comfort Gala had placed increasing administrative burdens on their staff and that they would be unable to continue to provide that support.
In January 1995, with all 1994 Gala event funds disbursed to VNS, and faced with the choice of disbanding AID and Comfort or creating an organizational structure to continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS patients, some members of the volunteer Steering Committee set themselves two goals:

To produce the Gala, now held the Saturday after Thanksgiving

To become a non-profit organization

Through tremendous personal commitment of time and energy on the part of each member of this newly created Board, both goals were realized.