The Adult Industry Assistance Fund (AIAF) will begin sending checks to the adult performers directly affected by the HIV outbreak by the end of the week, with priority given to those who have been diagnosed as HIV-positive, followed by those who have been quarantined.
Jenna Jameson and her husband Jay Grdina, CEO of ClubJenna, founded AIAF last month in response to the current health crisis.
Grdina has been busy trying to find board members to help organize and oversee the fund, as well help create criteria for the disbursement of the funds.
“There are lots of different variables that keep popping up, like where do you cut it off? Our first immediate assistance will be to those who are infected,” Grdina said. “From there we go to those who are on the quarantine list, until the quarantine is over. After the quarantine is lifted, obviously we continue with assistance to the ones that are infected with HIV.
“Then we start setting up ways to utilize the fund in a positive manner for the industry, i.e. helping out AIM with costs for testing and helping better awareness for the industry.”
But for the moment, the fund is just to help pay for medicine, rent, and the basic costs of living for those who have been diagnosed HIV-positive and for those who have been quarantined.
Lara Roxx, the first woman to be diagnosed as HIV-positive, will be the first to get a check. AIAF has not yet been in touch with Darren James, the first performer who was diagnosed as HIV-positive in this outbreak, but they are expecting to talk to him later this week.
The fund has raised approximately $20,000 so far, with Jameson and Grdina starting the fund off with a “sizable” donation.
“There have been some great donors. We’ve been very fortunate,” Grdina said. “Julia Ann and Janine were great at organizing their Blondage event. They donated all the proceeds to the fund. It was incredibly generous. They even donated their tips and the door.”
The fund raising activities for AIAF aren’t over yet. On May 16, ClubJenna intends to throw a pool party at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, with proceeds going to the fund.
A good portion of the women that ClubJenna works with including Gina Lynn, the Jill Kelly Production Girls, and ClubJenna exclusive Krystal Steele are expected to attend the pool party, and there are plans for a bikini contest at the event.
The cover charge for the party has yet to be set.
After this HIV outbreak has passed AIAF intends to keep fundraising so that they will be prepared for any future emergencies.
“We want to continue this and then hopefully the industry will establish a talent-based union and we’ll work hand-in-hand with that,” Gridina said. “That’s where I see the fund going.”
A small group of performers have started to organize the Adult Actors Guild, which has called another meeting for tomorrow night. Grdina finds their efforts encouraging – he considered attending the last meeting but other obligations kept him in Scottsdale – but he suggests they need more participation from the talent within the industry.
“I think you need to have more than 35 performers in the room discussing it,” Grdina said. “I think you need to go to the modeling agencies and the talent agencies and request that they have all of their active performers involved in this, as well as the agencies themselves and I think everyone needs to sit down and vote."
To donate to AIAF, go to www.adultfund.com, or mail contributions to AIAF c/o ClubJenna, Inc., 8390 East Via de Ventura, Suite F-110 # 258, Scottsdale, AZ 85258.
