Skolnick wanted Palette to continue his work on HIV and LGBT
causes. In addition to working with GMHC, the fund paid for new office
space for New York’s Bailey House, an organization that provides
shelter and other services to homeless people with HIV and with which
Skolnick worked extensively during his life. Palette’s endowment also
helped establish paid internship programs at both the Trevor Project,
the suicide hotline for gay youth, and the Point Foundation, which
provides college scholarships to gay students.

All of
Palette’s programs—which include additional grants to gay youth
organizations, a needle-exchange program, and money for cancer research
and patient advocacy—has left Meck very busy, for which he’s thankful.

“I
channeled a lot of the sadness into the positive energy of the work
we’re doing,” Meck says. “It’s a great way to have Rand in my life.”