"I very much welcome the fact that we as a city are not leaving the AIDS initiative on its own and are contributing financially so that the organization can continue to provide some of its services for those affected with our support," said Bonn's Mayor Katja Dörner.

Background: The implementation of the Federal Participation Act means that previous municipal services will also be transferred to the responsibility of the Rhineland Regional Association (LVR). However, some smaller providers and self-help associations are not in a position to meet the new funding criteria. In Bonn, this directly affects the AIDS Initiative Bonn, which provides care and support for people with HIV and AIDS, their relatives and people at risk of contracting the disease, as well as carrying out preventative measures to stop the infection from spreading.

Part of the previous service will no longer be available to the sponsor in future. This jeopardizes the continuation of support services and staff who have already built up a long-standing relationship of trust with the people affected. However, the need for help remains undiminished for the people concerned. Without support, they would fall through the social cracks.

In order to maintain the support and the heterogeneous counseling landscape in Bonn, the City of Bonn ensures at least a part of this low-threshold assistance in the scope of half a full-time position and supports it voluntarily from its own funds. At its meeting on June 20, 2024, the City of Bonn Council therefore provided funding of €47,600 for 2025 and €49,050 for 2026. This partial funding will be shifted from the Office for Social Affairs and Housing to the Health Department, which already funds other areas of the AIDS initiative.