Bobby Goldsmith Foundation

The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, Australia’s longest-running HIV charity, grew out of the selfless love and care that a group of people showed towards a friend in need.

Bobby Goldsmith was one of the first Australians to die from an AIDS-related illness in 1984. When he became ill, his friends got together to find a way of giving him the support and care he needed to stay at home. They raised money and bought equipment to make his last weeks as comfortable as possible. By the time he passed away, Bobby and his friends had established the important principle of providing support and services to people living with HIV.

Since 1984, the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF) has continued the work of Bobby’s dedicated group of friends. Our mission is to help people living with HIV by providing practical, emotional and financial support so they can maintain their independence and improve their quality of life. It’s the kind of ongoing, unconditional support that usually only friends or family would provide.

The core services BGF provides to its clients are:

• direct financial assistance (mainly for medications, medical care, dental care, course fees and materials);
• a financial counselling service;
• access to a No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS®);
• a range of supported accommodation programs;
• a vocational counselling service (Positive Futures);
• a program of capacity building workshops (Phoenix and PosQuest Workshops) and
• an extensive outreach program to regional and rural NSW.