While the sick languished in alleyways and on park benches in the city with the nation's highest AIDS rate, D.C. government allowed widespread waste and mismanagement to overwhelm the city's AIDS services. A three-part documentary explores some of these groups and the lives impacted by a lack of care. 

Over ten months, the Washington Post analyzed the spending, services, and finances of every specialized AIDS organization funded by D.C.'s HIV/AIDS Administration from 2004-2008, an estimated 90 groups, building a database from tax returns, audits, lawsuits, real estate records, D.C. Council records, and corporate and police reports. The Post also obtained grant agreements, invoices and government correspondence for about 60 of these groups. The newspaper interviewed dozens of people with HIV or AIDS patients, their families and service providers, and visited more than a dozen offices across the city. 

Read this indepth and important investigation.

Part of the series explores how TWC, a well-regarded provider, has faced funding cuts yet still manages to provide services to more women, girls and families than ever, in a related article titled: Troubled groups get millions while well-regarded ones like Women's Collective teeter.

UPDATE: On Sunday, December 13, 2009, The Washington Post continued its investigation with the article: HIV funds bypassing areas in need: Services Are Scarce In D.C. Wards 7, 8. Read this important and timely article that delves into the Effi Barry Program formerly known as the East of the River Collaborative.