AEF was one of the nation’s earliest responders to AIDS. In the summer of 1982, AEF began providing emergency financial assistance to people who had been fired and evicted by panicked employers and landlords because they showed symptoms of a mysterious and deadly illness.

Since then, AIDS Emergency Fund (AEF) has provided more than $26,000,000 in emergency financial assistance to people facing the challenges of living with debilitating HIV and AIDS. This has been made possible by the overwhelming support from the San Francisco community. AEF's very low overhead is covered by corporate and foundation gifts, which means 100% of all funds from individuals and community events goes directly to clients in need.

Each year approximately 2,500 low-income San Franciscans get help from AEF – enabling them to maintain housing and utility services, make medical co-payments, and meet other critical expenses while they are too sick to work. And, AEF works closely with more than 40 other AIDS service agencies in San Francisco to assure that its emergency assistance is coupled with referrals to other organizations that provide meals, counseling, subsidized housing and other longer-term assistance.