CHERRY Fund (www.cherryfund.org)

The Cherry Fund, established in 1996, and located in Washington, DC, is an independent, all-volunteer 501(c) 3 organization. The sole purpose of the Fund is to raise monies for service-based non-profit organizations serving the Washington, DC Community and beyond. The Fund focuses on organizations combating the spread of HIV infection & AIDS through prevention, treatment, and education, as well as provides support to groups who work with at-risk youth.

Cherry began several years ago when a group of local residents got together and planned a charity fundraiser. Using modest financial resources, the all-volunteer organization known as Friends Being Friends banded together to put on a weekend of music, dance and celebration. Several other Cherry events would follow, each increasingly better attended than the last. The popularity of these fundraisers inspired the idea that Washington was ready for a yearly charity event on the level of those held annually on Fire Island or in Miami. After the third Cherry, which was produced by Moody Mustafa's Metropolis Fund, a new group formed to take over the reins of the event. The new organization, christened "The Cherry Fund," institutionalized the annual fundraising effort, evolving into a year-round grant making organization while building a brand name that people around the country could identify.

Our reason is simple, HIV/AIDS is still here, and people need our help. DC has the highest rate of infection and that rate is growing in the youth community.

1 - Providing Direct Grants & Sponsorships

Here is just a sample of who and how much we have given since The Cherry Fund was incorporated in 1999:

GL Victory Foundation - $217,500
The Metro DC Center - $186,500
Whitman Walker Clinic - $114,000
Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League - $54,000
Mautner Project - $52,000
Food and Friends - $32,500
DC Care - $25,000
GLAAD - $20,000
Lambda Legal Defense Fund - $15,000
Washington Renegades - $8,000
DC Aquatics - $6,000
Cherry Fund HIV/AIDS Campaign - $5,000
Delta Lambda Phi - $4,500
Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry - $4,000
Metro TeenAIDS - $2,500
DC Wetskins - $2,000
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network - $9,750
Church of the Pilgrims - $500
Baltimore Gay and Lesbian Community Center - $500
Delphi Foundation - $500
Youth Pride Alliance - $400
Camp Rehoboth - $350
William Way Community Center - $350
Capital Metropolitan Rainbow Alliance - $250
Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association - $200

2 - By providing tickets & passes for silent auctions and raffles:

Asian and Pacific Islander Queers United for Action (AQUA)
Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL)
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
Spin4Youth (A Fund Raiser for Youth Pride Day & Metro TeenAIDS)

3 - By providing promotional support for our beneficiaries, our cross promotional partners & their beneficiaries:

Bayou City Boys Club
BBCM Foundation
Capital Pride
Care Resource
Centaur MC
Joining Hearts, Inc.
Purple Foundation
Sapphire Fund
Task Force

4 - By providing free publicity, program guide ads, etc

Crystal Meth Working Group
Washington Tourism Convention Board
Whitman Walker Clinic
Youth Pride Alliance

CHERRY is brought to you by The Cherry Fund. The Cherry Fund has raised $877,000 for local and national gay and lesbian beneficiaries that play an important role in our community. Website Design by Kirium Interactive.