Our Mission
Project Transitions is dedicated to serving people with HIV and AIDS by providing hospice, housing and support in a compassionate and caring environment.
Hospice
Doug's House is a five-bedroom residential hospice for people in the final stages of AIDS. Short-term intensive respite care is also provided on a space available basis.
Housing
Roosevelt Gardens,
Highland Terrace and
Community Housing are transitional housing programs for people living with HIV and AIDS. Experienced social workers help residents apply for permanent housing and achieve their personal goals.
Thrift
Top Drawer Thrift is open to the public and provides an extensive voucher program for people living with HIV and AIDS.
Red Hot XVII
On Friday, July 18, Oilcan Harry’s hosts its 17th Annual Red Hot fundraiser to raise money for Project Transitions. Red Hot features an extensive silent auction, a complimentary buffet, live performances by the likes of the Altar Boyz, the Therapy Sisters, and the Austin Babtist Women, great music by DJs until 2am, as well as happy hour until 10pm! Steve Higginbotham has been the ringleader in what was named "The Best Indepedent AIDS Fundraiser" by the Austin Chonicle in 2007. Don't miss what will surely be the most raucous and celebratory event of the summer!
13th Annual Texas Swing
Thanks for joining us this past June 6th at the 13th Annual Texas Swing, an evening of celebration in support of individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Featuring live music by the inimitable Alvin Crow, and Zydeco Blanco. We enjoyed savory BBQ, dance lessons, and an extensive silent auction of items donated by Austin businesses. All proceeds from the event directly benefit our programs.!
Volunteers are the key to our agency. Some volunteers have been with us since we opened Doug's House in 1989, while new volunteers join our team everyday.
All services are provided for people with HIV/AIDS and their families regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, religion, gender, national origin or disability. No person is refused services for inability to pay. Project Transitions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Make a secure online donation to support our programs.
A History of Project Transitions
Our agency was conceived in 1986 by Barbara Davis because of her work with the issues of death and dying in persons with AIDS. She established one of the first support groups for people living with AIDS in the city. She saw the need for a residential hospice facility where such people could die with dignity and spend their final weeks in a compassionate and caring environment. She brought together a group of interested people, incorporated in 1988 and opened Doug’s House in July of 1989. The hospice was named for Doug Key who was one of the early organizers. Doug Died in 1991. By that time, we were experiencing long waiting lists for the services at Doug’s house, and even today nearly twenty years later, the occupancy rate continues to run over 90%.
It also became evident that there were other unmet needs within the community…primarily
housing! There were many individuals in need of affordable housing in a safe and secure environment. As a result of this need, we began Roosevelt Gardens in 1995, which is a supportive housing program for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. The cost of this program was largely supported by the proceeds from our thrift store, Top Drawer which was opened in 1993 and remains fully operational to this day. Roosevelt Gardens has evolved into a transitional housing program offering a path to independent living for its residents.
In 1998 we opened our independent living facility called Highland Terrace which offers affordable housing to residents living with HIV/AIDS, and in 2002 we started our Community Housing program offering scattered site housing around the city.
No one is denied participation in ANY of our programs because of inability to pay. We are very, very proud of what we have been able to accomplish with the full support of a caring community.