Trump's Funding Cuts Threaten HIV Testing and Outreach Efforts in the South

JACKSON, Miss. — Dark clouds loomed over a community center where Pastor Andre Devine welcomed locals for lunch, featuring hoagies filled with smoked turkey and ham. While many gathered for a meal, some remained for complimentary health screenings, including HIV tests, flu shots, and vital monitoring. As executive director of the nonprofit Hearts for the Homeless, Devine discussed with colleagues the enormous financial losses their organizations faced due to abrupt federal funding cuts from the Trump administration, totaling over $11 billion nationally. This has forced groups like My Brother’s Keeper to contemplate closing their mobile clinic. The chronic underfunding could exacerbate health disparities in high-risk communities, stymying ongoing efforts to combat the HIV epidemic in the South, as many advocate for urgent action and renewed support.