Celebrating 31 Years of the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards

The Chase Awards have their roots in the founding of the Desert AIDS Project (DAP) in Palm Springs in 1984, during a time when HIV/AIDS was still widely misunderstood. A group of visionaries, including interior designer Steve Chase, founded DAP to provide compassionate care for those marginalized by the healthcare system, particularly people living with HIV/AIDS. Chase, who believed in treating everyone with dignity, beauty, and respect, played a pivotal role in launching the gala that would later bear his name. Steve Chase chaired the first fundraising gala, raising $360,000, and continued supporting the cause until his death in 1994. His legacy lived on as the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards became an annual event. In 1998, the funds from the Chase helped DAP purchase a new campus, expanding its services to include healthcare, food insecurity assistance, housing, dental care, and cancer screenings.

Today, DAP Health, as it is now known, serves over 88,000 individuals in the Coachella Valley, including farm workers, LGBTQ individuals, and those with low incomes. The Chase continues to power DAP Health’s growth into a healthcare innovator, ensuring access to essential services and promoting health equity for all, regardless of status or income.