September 30, 2011

HIV Group Used Public Money to Trick Out Hummer

Working for Togetherness, a Chicago HIV-awareness nonprofit, spent $45,000 of public money to fund a tricked-out Hummer, according to new reports from the Chicago Sun-Times. The pre-owned 2003 Hummer, which was purchased in July 2004 for $45,196, was used to promote HIV awareness in low-income black neighborhoods. The SUV had a custom paint job, game consoles, a television and chrome rims. It distributed educational information and provided free on-site HIV tests. When questioned how Working for Togetherness, the now-defunct nongovernmental organization, could afford such a vehicle, its CEO, Clifford Armstead, insisted he and his wife used personal funds to buy it. However, an Illinois Department of Public Health investigation has revealed that the nonprofit in fact used state funds on the Hummer.

To read the Sun-Times article, click here.


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Previous Comments:

shazamazon, portland, 2011-10-05 10:04:37
Mr Armstead has been misusing funds ever since he got funded there. IDPH and its office of minority health were run like a true good ol boys club; if it had been a gay and not a black organization, the funds would have been pulled from them a long time ago. talk about discrimination.

bradford lum, honolulu, 2011-10-02 22:59:03
i have been HIV positive since November 6th 1996. my father was greatly ill and I had to plan the funeral arrangements because my dad died on 12/4/96. I did not tell anyone in my family untill february of 1997. And knowing my family I think they were in denial of my HIV status.Because till this day they consider HIV non excistent. So I go on and try to educate people about HIV and still it seems that we are back in the old ages when the epidemic was in the its hieght in 1984.