Orlando Welcomes ‘Out of the Closet’ and AHF to Address Region’s HIV/AIDS Epidemic

In Featured, News by Ged Kenslea

Grand Opening, Saturday, February 27th   10:00 AM

ORLANDO, FL- (February 26, 2021) AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will open Orlando’s first  Out of the Closet Thrift Store on Saturday, February 27th, with a grand opening celebration starting at 10:00 a.m. rain or shine.  Located at 1349 N. Mills Avenue, Orlando, the facility will also house a state-of-the-art AHF Pharmacy and administer confidential free, rapid, one-minute testing for HIV and other STD’s.

 

The grand opening will offer discounts on an array of trendy clothes, furniture and housewares, and an opportunity for attendees to register to win a Vespa scooter.  Given COVID-19 restrictions, Saturdays grand opening will include a brief ribbon cutting ceremony beginning at 10:00 a.m., with remarks by AHF Orlando Regional Director Shaundia White and Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan.

 

WHAT:            Orlando’s first, Out of the Closet Thrift store grand opening that will provide confidential, rapid, free HIV testing and which $0.96 cents of every dollar is invested back into HIV/AIDS education, awareness and prevention programs in the local community.

 

WHEN:            Saturday, February 27, 2021

                        Ribbon Cutting starts at 10:00 a.m.

                       

WHERE:         Out of the Closet Thrift Store

                        1349 N. Mills Avenue

                        Orlando, FL

 

WHO:              The Honorable Patty Sheehan, Orlando City Commissioner, 4th District

                        Shaundia White, AHF Regional Director, Central Florida

                        Russell Walker, Senior Director of Operations, AHF Southern Bureau

                        George Wallace, Executive Director, LGBT+ Center – Orlando

                        Local residents

 

 

“Saturday’s grand opening will offer the chance for Orlando shoppers to be among the first to discover the unique finds and hidden treasures for which ‘Out of the Closet’ is famous,” said Jonathan Kreuyer, General Manager of Out of the Closet Stores. “With twenty-one other locations in California, Florida, Ohio, Georgia and New York, AHF’s Out of the Closet Thrift Store chain is the nation’s largest retail fundraising venture for HIV/AIDS services, and ninety-six cents of every dollar earned is directed towards local HIV/AIDS awareness efforts and our mission to provide HIV/AIDS care to those in need.”

 

AHF’s Out of the Closet location will be open Monday-Saturday, from 10am (EST) – 7:00pm (EST) and Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm, with HIV testing taking place Tuesday – Saturday, from 10:00am (EST) – 7:00pm (EST).

 

With 22 locations worldwide, Out of the Closet Thrift stores aim to make HIV testing easy while providing people a fun place to shop and donate gently used goods in support of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Out of the Closet Thrift Stores are often connected to an AHF Pharmacy, to also provide a convenient one-stop experience for clients to shop and pick up their medication.

 

“We are pleased to expand our presence and services in Orlando with the opening of the Out of the Closet thrift store.  We know that along with the testing services it will provide to the immediate community, the City of Orlando and the surrounding municipalities, we can shift the trajectory of the local HIV epidemic,” said Michael Kahane, AHF Southern Bureau Chief.

 

 

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